Simple Choices
by rebelrsr
Summary: How will one night at the Bronze with Willow change Buffy's life forever?
1. Chapter 1

Summary of the challenge: Buffy is dating Riley however she is not feeling fulfilled in their relationship. Will one night out at the Bronze with Willow change her life  
forever?

Disclaimer: All things Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and lots of people in expensive suits. I'm not making any money here, just trying to create a happier Buffyverse for my favorite characters.

Spoilers: I borrow heavily from "The I in Team" for this chapter. Big alterations ahead for the remainder of S5.

A/N: Thanks to the best beta crew: Zigpal and Zenithar. There would be no writing without you guys.

Willow looked at her watched for the hundredth time and glanced at the door. _Where is she? She's never this late. I hope nothing's wrong. _ The young witch glanced across the small table at Anya. She looked bored, and Willow hoped Xander would hurry back. A bored Anya was a dangerous one.

Suddenly, though, the ex-demon perked up, and the red head looked over her shoulder to see Xander strolling up. "Xander, you haven't been paying any attention to me tonight," the blonde whined. "You've just been peddling those processed food bricks."

Xander, in the act of eating said brick, mumbled, "Well, they serve a purpose, An. See, sell the bar, make money. Money means I can take you somewhere nice, or buy you pretty things."

Sipping from her soda, Willow swallowed a smirk. The pout Anya tried just didn't work. "It does make sense," the ex-demon grudged. "OK," she announced with a smile. "I support you."

The witch rolled her eyes. "Hey, guys. Don't you think it's strange Buffy's not here yet? I mean, she said she wanted to spend some quality time with us, you know, kinda reconnect."

"I don't know, Will. She's over an hour late. She's probably off 'living the life of Riley.' I don't think she's coming." Xander's eyes widened at his girlfriend's smirk. He glanced at Willow and sighed. She seemed to be oblivious to his accidental innuendo.

"But, she said…" the witch trailed off, a smile lighting her face. "See, here she is." She looked harder at the newly-arrived Slayer. Buffy had turned back toward the door as soon as she entered. She was obviously waiting for the group of young men that came through the door a few seconds behind her. "Oh, look. She brought Riley and some of his friends."

Willow watched numbly as the group came toward their table. "Hey, Will. Sorry for the late-itude."

Stuffing more of the Boost bar into his mouth, Xander said indistinctly, "Late? Huh. Hadn't noticed."

Buffy frowned at the comment. Riley, of course, just smiled and said, "Hope you don't mind us tagging along."

"No, of course not," Willow replied. She searched for something appropriate to say. "The more," she paused. No way could she complete the usual ending to this phrase. "The more, the more." _Someone shoot me now, please. Why can't I just be quiet when there's nothing good to say?_

Jumping into the awkward silence, Riley introduced his Initiative buddies and then led a group mission to the bar for drinks. Anya and Xander disappeared – to dance, the ex-demon said, but mostly to get a nervous Anya away from the military men.

"Hey, I didn't think you would mind," Buffy said, waving after Riley and his friends. "Riley and the guys were throwing me an impromptu celebration that made it, like, impossible not to invite them."

Willow just stared. _ I wonder if this was what Buffy was like back in L.A.?_ The young witch was angry and disappointed. She'd turned down a night with Tara to come to the Bronze. Now, it looked like she could have brought Tara along. It wasn't a core Scooby party night. "I thought this was supposed to be us, you know. Just the original Scoobies. If I would've known it was 'invite anyone you want' night, I had," she hesitated, "a friend I could've brought along." Glaring a bit, she continued. "It might have made the wait more enjoyable."

"I'm sorry." The Slayer seemed stunned at the rebuke. "My total bad." She cocked her head and examined her best friend. Leaning across the table, she asked, "So, who did you want to invite?"

There was no chance the young witch was going to answer that question. She wasn't ready to explain her relationship with Tara. "No one." Seeing Buffy smirk and raise an eyebrow, she rambled on. "I mean, it was just a hypothetical someone, which is no one, really. I didn't want to bring anyone. I was just saying-"

"Will, breathe. It's OK if you have a special someone to bring to our meetings. I mean, Xander always bring Anya." The two friends stared at each other. "OK. That wasn't really a good example, but you get the point."

"Sure, Buffy." Trying to steer the conversation in another direction, she asked, "So, what was the celebrating about?"

"Oh!" The blonde seemed to come to life. "I got in." At the look of confusion on Willow's face, Buffy elaborated. "In to the Initiative. Professor Walsh gave me the grand tour, and I mean grand as in the Grand Canyon. You'd never believe the size of it."

The news didn't surprise the red head, but it did make her uneasy. Gently feeling her way, she tried to clue the excited blonde into her concerns. "That's neat. So, what does that mean, exactly? You've joined them?"

"No, not exactly. It just means when I patrol I have a heavily armed team backing me up."

Well, the Scoobies had certainly never been armed with more than stakes or crosses, but Buffy had always had them at her back. Pushing back the faint sense of insult, Willow probed further. "Buffy, do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, don't you think you're rushing things a little?"

Buffy sat back in her chair and frowned. "I thought you liked Riley?"

_No. I mean, really, Buffy._ "I'm not talking about Riley. I mean with the Initiative. There's a bunch of stuff about them we still don't know."

"I know that," the Slayer protested. Then, contradicting her own words, she questioned, "Like what?"

"Well, what's their ultimate agenda?" Willow needed to make sure she got her point across. Her best friend didn't always understand subtlety. "OK. They neuter vampires and demons, but then what? Are they going to reintegrate them into society? Get them jobs as bagboys at Wal-Mart?"

Completely missing the real issue, the blonde mumbled, "Does Wal-Mart have bagboys?"

The witch closed her eyes. Suddenly, her head throbbed. "Buffy, focus here. That's not the point. What about that 314 thing Ethan told Giles about? I mean, he may not be an upstanding member of society, but it's something to think about. How do we know they aren't just using you? Or studying you to find a way to make a government-controlled version of a Slayer?"

Whatever reply the blonde might have made got cut off by a shrill beeping emanating from her purse. Grabbing the bag and pawing through the contents, she finally pulled out a pager.

"Since when did you have a pager?" Willow enquired.

Buffy ignored the question. Eyebrows bunched together, she read the display screen. Riley appeared behind her. "We have to go," he announced. "Mother needs us."

"Yeah. Sorry, Will. Gotta go." The Slayer jumped out of her chair and rushed out of the club, Riley and the gang at her side.

The Slayer tried to still the adrenaline rushing through her. She'd hunted demons for over four years. There was no reason to treat this mission any differently. But it was the first time she'd done battle with trained soldiers at her side. Forcing herself to pay attention, she listened intently as Doctor Walsh explained the mission objective and gave a brief description of the Polgara demon.

When Walsh finished, another white-coated scientist got up to explain the demon's defensive capabilities. _My God. How do these guys get anything done? I thought Giles was all big with the research and talking_.

As the talking finally died down, the Slayer decided the Initiative had a very different take on demon hunting. She raised her hand. "I have a question."

Looking faintly concerned, Doctor Walsh said, "Yes, Buffy?"

"Why exactly can't we damage this pokey thing's arms? I mean, not that I want to, it's just, in my experience, when fighting for your life, body parts get damaged. Better its bits than mine." Glancing at the Marines around her, she amended, "Ours."

The male scientist in front of the display answered, "We wish to study the physiology of every Sub Terrestrial and its natural defenses. It's part of the research we do here." He moved off, clearly finished with the briefing.

Not waiting to be acknowledged this time, the Slayer asked, "Why are they here?" When heads turned to look at her, she explained, "Are they looking for treasure, sacrifices, or are they just getting rampagey? I find it easier to predict their responses if I know."

The expert in Sub Terrestrials smirked. "They're not sentient, just destructive, I believe," he said condescendingly.

Professor Walsh walked in front of the seated group. "They do have keen eyesight, however. You might want to be suited up for this."

It took a moment for Buffy to realize the woman was referring to her clothes. "Oh, you mean the camo? I thought about it, but, I mean, it would just look all Private Benjamin." Chuckles came from several of the Marines. "Don't worry. I've patrolled in a halter many times."

The Professor clearly didn't know how to respond to that. She turned to Riley. "Agent Finn, deploy the troops."

The Slayer watched in confusion as her boyfriend fired off a lot of military jargon. Everyone else seemed to understand what he was saying. Finally, when all the orders had been given, Walsh added on final warning. "Remember, people, this is a 'zap and trap' operation. Capture, not a kill."

The men around Buffy stood and headed off to get geared up. The Slayer sat alone in the briefing area, staring at the still-displayed sketch of the Polgara demon. _Maybe Will had a point. I really don't know much about the Initiative_.

The door opened and Tara's eyes widened in surprise. A smile brightened her features. "Willow. What are you doing here?"

Shyly, the red head responded, "A funny thing happened with my prior social engagement." She glanced up and down the hallway. "It pretty much ended when a friend of mine went off to do something else with another group of people she hangs out with."

The older witch looked confused by the vague explanation.

"Tara?" The blonde looked up. "Can I come inside? I need your help with something, but I'm going to have to tell you a lot of really unbelievable things first." She smiled quirkily. "I'd rather not do this out here."


	2. Chapter 2

The blonde witch smiled and stepped back, letting the other girl into the room. "Thanks, Tara," Willow said. "I know it's late, but I was sure you'd be able to help."

"What's wr-wrong?" Tara asked, frowning.

"Well, nothing's wrong, wrong. I mean, I don't think it is anyway. Buffy's just…well, she's involved with this new guy, and she's been acting really un-Buffy like for a while." She paused finally, blushing at the indulgent smile the older girl wore. "Sorry. Willowbabble. I'll try to slow down."

Taking her hand, Tara led them both to the bed. "Why don't you tell me the whole story?"

Willow laughed nervously. "See, that's part of the problem. I need to tell you everything, but you're probably going to think I'm crazy." Picking some stray lint off the bedspread, she forced herself to go on. "You remember how I'm always telling you to be careful when you go out after dark?"

A blonde head bobbed in response. "It wasn't just something you say…In Sunnydale, it's not a good idea to go out after the sun goes down. That's when the," she looked directly into blue eyes, "vampires and demons come out."

"Oh, you know about demons?" the older girl seemed surprised.

"Yeah. You mean you know about them, too?"

"Sure. My mom taught me about them a long time ago." Tara seemed to shrink a little at the memory. "I d-don't know mu-much really. Just that they exist."

Relaxing slightly, Willow grinned. "OK. The story got shortened by a lot. Well, Sunnydale was built right on top of an active Hellmouth." The blonde witch's eyes widened. "Yeah. Makes for lots of creepies in town. The PTB," the red head waved a hand at the heavens, "sent Buffy here to balance things out. She's the Slayer," Willow finished proudly.

"The Slayer?" Tara inquired. "What's that?"

"Well, if Giles were here, he'd give you this really long lecture. But Slayers were created a long time ago to help fight vampires and demons. Buffy doesn't have super powers, exactly, but she's way stronger and faster than other people."

To Willow's horror, her friend paled. "Tara? Please don't wig on me. I mean, if this isn't something you want to talk about, I'll just go." She bounced off the bed, fighting tears.

"No! Please, stay." The blonde's voice shook slightly. "Willow, come back and sit down."

Hesitantly, the red head perched on the bed. "Maybe I should go, Tara. Giles is going to be plenty pissed when he finds out I talked to you. And," she added, "I don't want to lose your friendship because of the whole unbelievable tale."

"I w-w-want to help. Just, Buffy – the Slayer – it was a shock. We've never met, but I've seen her on campus. She's so tiny," the blonde explained. "I'm sorry. You came to me for help. Why are you worried about Buffy's new boyfriend?"

Willow stretched out across the bed. "Riley's an OK guy, I guess. See, he's part of this Top Secret military group called the Initiative. He got Buffy to join and now she's acting really weird. Tonight, she showed up late for our Scooby night and then she ran off a few minutes later because Professor Walsh paged her."

"But if she's part of this group now, doesn't she have to go?" Tara didn't understand.

"Yes. But, I'm afraid she's in over her head. We don't know anything about the Initiative, really." Willow closed her eyes tiredly. "Riley kinda told Buffy some of their plans. They capture demons and do research on them. I just get the feeling that wasn't the whole truth." She shook off the exhaustion and sat upright. "What if they're experimenting on the demons, or they want to try to create their own Slayer?"

The older girl looked shocked. "You really think they would do something like that?"

Willow nodded. "Oh, yeah. Their leader is Professor Walsh. She teaches psych here. She's freaky weird. I know she'd do something like that."

"OK. Maybe be you're right. What can we do about it?" Tara asked.

Getting back to the reason for her visit, the younger witch smiled. "I'm going to try hacking into the Initiative computers. I thought, maybe, you could do a spell to give us a better idea what kinds of demons they're holding." She paused, thinking. "Hey! If I can get us some access codes, do you think you could put a glamour on us so we could take a look inside the base?"

Buffy stuffed her hands deeper into her coat pockets. Riley walked beside her, peering around like he expected the Polgara demon to leap out of the bushes. About a dozen gun-toting Marines fanned out around them. "Hey, Ry?"

"Yeah, Buffy?" The young man smiled down at her.

"I guess she hates me now," the blonde lamented.

"What?" Riley frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Professor Walsh," the Slayer explained. "You know…questions, an Initiative faux pas, yes?"

Buffy could tell her boyfriend didn't see the importance of her problem. He shrugged and went back to examining the area. Extending her senses, the Slayer knew the demon was nowhere around. Other than her and Riley, no one spoke. Stealth modes were fully engaged. Briefly, she considered telling the group the demon didn't need to hear them to know they were there, but she discarded the idea quickly.

Having decided things were safe for the moment, Riley relaxed enough to continue the conversation. "Professor Walsh is very by the book. We normally sit through the briefing, gear up, and go capture the demon." He smiled a little. "You did add a bit of change to the mix."

"Change is sometimes of the good," the blonde commented. "Still, I had some other questions I didn't get a chance to ask."

"Like what?" the tall man inquired.

"Well, if we capture this thing, what's going to happen to it? Do you check its vitals and then release it back into the wild with a homing band on its leg?" The Slayer wracked her brain, trying to recall all the things Willow said to her at the Bronze. "Are you going to experiment on it to see what makes it tick?"

The questions upset the Marine. "Buffy, does it really matter what happens to them? I mean, c'mon, they're not human." He turned to her, looking serious. "Can we talk about this later? There's a dangerous Hostile out here, and, well, since I don't have your reflexes, I kind of need to focus."

Sensing he was more concerned with evading the questions than preparing for a surprise attack, the blonde wanted to push for answers. However, a late night outing with the troops might be a bad time for information gathering. "Sure. Sure, Ry. Sorry." _This is more fun with Will. I miss all those patrol-time gossip sessions._

They walked in uncomfortable silence for several minutes. Buffy jumped when Riley's walkie talkie blared static. "Alpha T…" the young Marine cursed and started pacing in circles, looking for better reception. He hit a better spot and froze, nearly shouting into the hand-held unit. "This is Alpha. You're breaking up. Repeat, please." Nothing but static answered his order.

The Slayer could tell he was getting frustrated. She watched as Riley continued moving around the small clearing in an effort to get in touch with the other group. A tingle ran along her spine. "Riley!" she said urgently.

"Not now, Buffy," he said. "Beta Team? Forrest, what's your situation?"

Buffy shrugged. "OK, Ry. But you should probably know the Polgara demons about to jump out of the bushes behind you."

"What?" her boyfriend asked.

With a roar, the demon pounced on the young man's back. Riley collapsed to the ground from the attack and the Polgara demon moved toward the Slayer.

Pulling her hand from her pockets and stepping forward, the blonde smiled. "Hi. Funny, us meeting here like this." Getting a snarl in response, Buffy nodded. "Yeah. It does seem a bit staged."

She lashed out with a foot, hitting the demon in the chest. She followed as it flew a few feet away from the team of Marines. Her backup watched the Slayer trade blows with the demon. Since Buffy didn't want to kill it, she had to pull her punches. The Polgara was able to hold its own with the handicapped warrior. Help finally arrived.

Buffy managed to topple her opponent with a leg sweep just as tazer fire erupted around the downed demon. Despite the voltage pumped into it, the demon staggered to its feet. Not giving it enough time to stand fully upright, the blonde sent it crashing back to the ground with a blow to the head.

"You, alright there, Ry?" Buffy asked, peering at their prize.

Wincing as he probed his ribs, her boyfriend nodded. "Just a little bruised, I think. Let's get this thing back base.

"We can do that, but I need to ask," she glared at the group of Marines, "what's with the standing around watching me work? I thought this was the new and improved Slaying gig. If you guys are just here to spectate, I'm all for going old school."

Riley glanced at his men. "Buffy, it was a surprise attack."

He stopped there, and the blonde waited a moment for him to continue. He didn't. "I hate to break it to you, Ry. Demons kinda specialize in surprise attacks. If I hadn't been here to save your collective asses, what would you have done?"

"Well,-" one Marine started. Riley cut him off with a waved hand.

"You don't have to answer that," he said.

Buffy nodded her agreement. "True. He doesn't. You need to – later. So, what do you want to do now?"

Gesturing to a couple of his men, Riley answered, "We need to get the demon back to the base and debrief with Professor Walsh. She always wants us to report on the fight and how the latest HST used its particular abilities." He grasped he hand, and they followed the group carrying the unconscious body of their prey. "You know, she's going to be interested in how you knew the demon was behind me, too."


	3. Chapter 3

The walk back to the lab was as quiet as the trip out had been. Buffy stayed beside Riley, and watched the rest of the group. The Marines clustered close around the body of the demon, weapons still at the ready. She needed more information.

"So, Riley, how many demons have you captured since coming to Sunnydale?" The Slayer tried for a casual approach.

"I don't really know…maybe 20," the young Marine replied. "If you add in the ones captured by other teams, probably closer to fifty."

_They've only been here how long? That's a lot of evilness to be studying._ "How'd you get into this anyway? They post a sign on base saying: 'Demon hunters wanted?'" She watched her boyfriend carefully.

Riley laughed at the question, but didn't really answer it. "Do you always talk so much on patrol?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, not if I'm alone. That would just be too weird. But when Will's with me, we catch up on all the latest gossip." She smiled. "Of course, she isn't usually carrying big guns. When the vamps or demons come out to play, I leave her behind one of the mausoleums or perched on a tombstone."

The Marine frowned. "Why bring a civilian on a hunt? It's too dangerous."

The Slayer nodded. "It is. The Scoobies are dedicated, though. Will and Xand aren't what I'd call civilians anymore. Willow's gotten pretty good with the magic; she holds her own in a fight."

"Magic? That's real?" Riley looked amused.

"Duh? Hello? You hunt and capture demons. How can you not know about magic?" This conversation was unbelievable, and she wasn't getting the information she needed. "You never really answered my question from earlier."

"Which one, Buffy? You're full of questions tonight," came the frustrated reply.

The blonde smiled brightly. "Oh, this isn't even a heavy information gathering night. I'm just trying to learn more about your job." She leaned into the Marine and peered up through her lashes. "That's OK, right? I mean, if you don't want to tell me stuff, just say the word and I'll be Supporto Gal."

Riley bent down and brushed his lips over hers. He pulled away and blushed when one of his men smirked at his open display of affection. "No. I'm good with you wanting to get to know me better." He tightened his hold on her hand. "So, which question didn't I answer?"

"The one about what happens to the demons." Buffy hoped she wasn't pushing too hard. He finally seemed non-wiggy about discussing Initiative stuff.

Her boyfriend hesitated, but relaxed when she wiggled her fingers in his grasp. "Well, I don't know all the details. This one'll be in-processed." At the blonde's confused look, he elaborated. "That's just where we put its basic information into the computer: where we found it, how the fight went. That kind of stuff. After that, the demon will be placed in a containment cell and monitored."

"That's it? It doesn't seem like much."

"Professor Walsh and the other scientists learn a lot from the observations." Riley shrugged.

Buffy didn't ask about anything else. They were getting close to the lab, and she could see her boyfriend stiffen. Like someone had flicked a switch, Riley Finn, boyfriend, had become Riley Finn, soldier. Releasing his hand, she dropped back, completing the last leg of the journey at the rear of the group.

Following the two Marines carrying the unconscious demon, the Slayer ended up in the public lab at the base. The open area looked like the set for a B-grade science fiction movie. Yards of aluminum-foil type material hung from cables stretch from wall to wall. The shiny curtains reflected the light from the dozens of floor lights that littered the area. Once the demon had been placed on an examination table in the lab, the men hurried back to the briefing area. The Slayer glanced around. All of the personnel in the lab wore white coats. There wasn't a single military uniform in sight.

Not wanting to draw too much attention, Buffy also left the lab. On her way to join her team, she glimpsed Professor Walsh in a heated discussion with another scientist. The woman apparently in charge of the Initiative's mission gestured emphatically to her companion. Stopping and leaning against another exam table, the Slayer tried to block out the sounds around her and hear the conversation. Despite her enhanced hearing, the young blonde caught only a few words.

"…don't care. Just do it," Professor Walsh snarled.

"But we don't have enough…" The man's words got lost when a golf cart carrying armed Marines raced by. "Maybe we can use the arm of the Polgara Finn's team brought in."

Walsh looked relieved and smiled at the news.

"Buffy?" The blonde spun around. Riley's friend Forrest stepped away from her, hands held palm out in front of him. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. We're getting ready for the debriefing. You coming?"

"Yeah." The Slayer looked toward Professor Walsh. The older blonde was striding rapidly toward the gathered Marines. "I think we'd better hurry. Looks like the Professor's on her way."

"You w-w-want to sneak in to the In-Initiative?" Tara stuttered.

Nodding energetically, Willow agreed. "Well, yeah. They won't have everything in the computer." She paused, thinking about that statement. "OK. It's the military. They probably have reports and notes on every detail. But I might not be able to get into all the files. So, we'd need to go there to find out what they're planning."

Smiling at the younger girl, Tara said, "Willow, even if we got inside, do you know where to look?"

"I'm sure there are blueprints," the redhead asserted.

"Probably." The older witch frowned. "Before we try the glamour, though, let's stick with the hacking and the simple spell." She could see Willow wanted to argue. "It's a lot of magic for the glamour, and we don't have any real information yet. If we find something, I'll hunt for a spell to change our appearance."

The other girl looked unhappy at the announcement, but backed down a little. "I guess that's OK. I'll head back to my room and grab the laptop."

Tara blushed and ducked her head. "If you wa-want, I could g-go with you."

"Great! Bring your books and anything you need. I doubt Buffy will be back." The redhead sounded sad. "She'll more than likely stay with Riley."

Climbing off the bed and placing books and supplies into a backpack, Tara commented, "You don't see much of her anymore?"

"Not really," Willow said.

"Have you tried talking to her?" She glanced at her friend. "Maybe she doesn't realize how much time she's spending with Riley."

The novice witch pulled her knees to her chest. "I've been afraid to say anything." She grimaced. "What if she thinks I'm giving her an ultimatum? I don't want to push her farther away."

Stuffing the last of her things into the bag, the blonde held out a hand to Willow. "Are you sure you want to poke around the Initiative? If you're wrong, then Buffy might get really mad."

The younger witch let Tara pull her from the bed. Biting her lip, she said in a small voice, "I know. But I don't think I'm wrong." Green eyes met blue. "I'm scared she's gonna get hurt – or worse."

The blonde looped the backpack over her left shoulder and moved to the door. "Come on, then. Let's go find the information you need to convince Buffy to leave the Initiative."

Grinning in relief, Willow trotted after the other girl. "Thanks, Tara.

The two young women exited the dorm and hurried down the poorly lit path. "How detailed do you want me to be about the demons?" Tara enquired.

"Um, I hadn't really thought it out that far." The redhead pursed her lips. "I'm thinking it might be a good idea to know how many demons the Initiative is holding, what kinds of demons they've got, and what kind of shape they're in."

The other witch whistled soundlessly. "That's a tall order for one spell."

Willow nodded. "It is. I just…" She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "I don't trust them. Something isn't right, and Buffy can't or won't ask the necessary questions."

Smiling crookedly, Tara tried to comfort her friend. "It may be a little more complex than originally planned, but I think I can do what you want." She mentally ran through the spells in her books. "I'm probably going to have to cast more than just one spell, though. The number of demons is easy. Doing a wellness check as well as cataloguing is complicated."

"I borrowed Giles' copy of the Compendium of Supernatural Creatures. Would that help?" the redhead asked.

"You borrowed it?" The blonde arched an eyebrow.

Blushing, the younger girl mumbled, "I intend to give it back. So, you could say I borrowed it."

Tara laughed. "It will be a big help. If I incant a variation of a locator spell, the faeries can point to specific demons in the book."

"Cool!" Willow grinned.

"Sweetie, this may not work the way you want," the older witch cautioned. "Magic isn't a science. I can structure the words of the incantation, but that's no guarantee we'll be able to focus the energy on gathering information."

Nodding slowly, Willow acknowledged the point. "I get that." She sighed. "Buffy's my best friend, though. I've got to do whatever I can to keep her from making a huge mistake." She glanced at Tara and smiled slightly. "She may be a wonder at demon killing, but picking men? Not so good."

They reached Stevenson Hall and the safety of the dorm room. Flicking on the lights, Willow headed immediately to her desk. "Tara, spread out and use anything you need. I'm going to get to work on the computer systems." She opened her laptop and logged onto the Internet.

Three hours later, Willow rubbed tired eyes and stared at the information on her screen. "I'm in," she announced.

"What?" Tara peered at her friend.

"I'm in," the hacker repeated. "Now all I need to do is start raiding the files. How are you coming along?"

Resting her chin on the open book in front of her, the older witch said, "I've got two of the three spells worked out. The wording on the last one is tricky." She shrugged. "If I get the phrasing wrong, the information we uncover might be misleading, or the spell simply won't work."

Turning from the computer, the redhead asked, "What are you trying to do with the incantation?"

The blonde sat up on the bed. "The original spell activates latent empathy in the caster. I'm rewording it to alter the empathy. Instead of sensing feeling/emotions, it should allow me to feel what kind of physical condition the demons are in." Tara chewed on her lip. "That's the part that's causing problems. If I don't put the right phrases into the spell, I could end up reading everyone's emotions or worse."

For the first time, Willow wondered if this was a good idea. "Maybe we should just do the first two; I don't want to put you in that kind of danger."

"We'll compromise," Tara stated. "We do the first two spells. If anything unusual happens, I'll get back to work on the last incantation."

"If you're sure…"the redhead said uncertainly.

Scooting off the bed and grabbing some supplies, the older girl responded. "I'm sure. All we're doing is beefing up a locator spell. What's so dangerous about that?"


	4. Chapter 4

Joining Tara by the bed, Willow watched curiously as the older girl placed the Compendium, an athame, and a decanter of salt on the floor.

"Do you want to be inside or outside the Circle?" the blonde asked.

Willow hesitated. "Umm, inside, I guess." She smiled. "I've never done anything so big before. I won't distract you or cause the spell to go wrong, will I? Cause my spells still don't work right."

Tara smiled crookedly. "I think I can deal with your sexy self being in the Circle, Willow." She blushed. "Sorry, that came out wrong."

Brushing off the apology, the redhead focused on getting started. "Do you want me to get anything else or is this it?" She gestured at the three items on the floor.

"M-maybe something to write on an-and a pe-pencil," Tara mumbled. She gazed at her companion as she snagged the requested items from her desk before sitting cross legged on the bed. She sighed. "I'll draw the Circle. Just sit tight, OK?"

The blonde opened the decanter and slowly poured the granules on the floor in a small circle surrounding the bed. As she moved backward, Tara chanted. The white salt burned blue once it touched the floor. Closing the Circle, the blonde crawled to the center of the bed and raised her hands to the ceiling. "Goddess Diana, grant that this Circle remain hallowed ground. Aid us in our search for answers. Ward this space against those who would do us harm." The blue energy rose slowly until it reached the ceiling. Tara lowered her hands and stretched.

"What's next?" Willow wasn't tired any longer.

"We need to call the faeries and send them on their way," Tara explained. She opened the Compendium and set it in front of the redhead. "I need you to write down which demons the spirits identify and how many of them the Initiative is holding."

"OK." The younger girl grinned in excitement.

Tara paused, regaining her focus and drawing in power. Ready at last, she carefully incanted the spell, magical energy rippling in the air with each word. Merrily twinkling green lights surrounded the blonde witch. Frowning in concentration, Tara spoke, "Go. Find the information I've requested."

The lights dimmed in understanding and then disappeared. The taller girl climbed onto the bed and rested. "Did it work?" Willow couldn't refrain from asking.

"You saw the faeries. It's just a matter of waiting for them to start returning." Tara closed her eyes. If they did the empathy spell, she'd need to recover a bit. The blonde witch felt the bed shift and a warm body lay next to her. She caught her breath and fought to hide her reaction. She needed to find something to say or do. "So, were you ever going to tell me about Buffy being the Slayer? I mean, before you needed my help?"

"Tara?" Willow asked in confusion. Her friend sounded upset. "Sure. I would have told you, but normally, I don't just blurt it out. You haven't even met any of the gang yet." The redhead licked her lips nervously. "Did you not want to help? Buffy's always saying I need to slow down and stop pushing people."

In spite of her efforts to stay detached, Tara smiled at the babbling. "I'm fine, Willow, and I want to help. I was curious about how you bring people into the inner circle, so to speak."

"Oh. Oh, good," the younger girl chirped.

_How can she have all that energy this late_? Maybe it was time to divulge a few of her own secrets. The blonde tensed, but pressed on. "Hey, W-Willow? Umm, there's something I need to –" She broke off. Agitated green lights blipped into the room. They swirled around the girls in a chaotic pattern, winking in and out.

"Is this supposed to happen?" Willow asked.

Trying to understand the information the faeries offered, the blonde didn't immediately answer. "Get the book. Something has them terrified." Tara shooed the balls of energy toward the Compendium.

Clustering together, they hummed and hovered over the tome. Hesitantly, the younger girl flipped through the pages, watching their informants carefully. Nothing happened. Feeing foolish, but needing answers, Willow continued through the large magical text. Without warning, the lights dropped down, blanketing a particular page. "OK. We have a Polgara demon in the Initiative," the young witch reported. More pages turned. The lights repeated their actions. "Mohra demon, check."

"Will, look!"

The redhead jerked at her companion's tone. A second cluster of lights entered the room. Cradled between several of their number lay a dark shape. "Oh, Goddess, it's dead." Willow felt sick. This wasn't supposed to be dangerous for the playful creatures.

Tara would have commented, but the gathered faeries flew at her in a bright wave. She fought her first reaction to swat at the lights as if they were mosquitoes. They pushed close to her, brushing her face and hair. Where they touched, the witch's skin heated and the blonde sensed their emotions. Fear skittered through her mind. The little winking balls of energy were terrified. More of the faeries joined those already touching Tara. An image formed in her mind. A tall man loomed. No, it wasn't a man. The figure looked freakish, skin pieced together with hooks or staples. It saw the lights searching the room and extended its right hand. Electricity leaped from its fingers and exploded when it reached the cluster of faeries.

Buffy and Forrest hurried to the briefing area, arriving seconds before Professor Walsh. "OK, people. How did it go?" the intense blonde scientist asked.

"Ma'am, the Hostile took us unaware," Riley responded crisply. He stood at rigid attention just left of the rows of chairs.

It was apparently unwelcome news. "How did that happen?" Impatience dripped from every word.

No one answered. Buffy watched in amusement as a flush crawled up the woman's neck and face. "I asked a question, Marines." She turned on Riley. "Agent Finn, this was your operation. Why didn't you know the location of the HST?"

The Slayer didn't wait for her boyfriend to offer a response. Bouncing to her feet, she confronted the scientist. "The Marines didn't know because their equipment can't track demons."

"I beg your pardon?" Walsh glared at the shorter blonde.

"You heard me. You've got the guys out looking for demons and vampires with radios and ray guns. Great." Buffy paced forward. "Humans don't stand a chance of tracking something with supernatural hearing or speed."

"Buffy-" Riley tried to interrupt.

"No, Agent Finn. I want to hear what she has to say." Maggie Walsh drew herself up and crossed her arms over her chest.

Not bothering to consider her words, Buffy continued, "I want to know what you think you're doing here, Professor. In the time you've been in Sunnydale, you've captured and studied nearly fifty demons. Where are they now?" She was on a roll. "Do you let them go? Or is something else going on here?"

"I don't know what you mean," the professor spluttered.

Frustrated, Buffy threw caution to the winds. "What's the 314 Project, Professor?"

She finally got a reaction. The older woman's eyes widened and she paled. However, a klaxon sounded in the base and the moment was shattered. Marines in battle gear raced across the facility, heading for a cordoned off portion of the lab. The phone in the front of the briefing area rang and Walsh hurriedly picked it up.

"Yes?" The Slayer watched as she frowned. "How did that…Never mind. I'll deploy Alpha Team. I've got a contingency plan for our other problem." She slammed the handset down.

"Agent Finn, we have a security breach. Take your team and report to Sector 3. Check with Base HQ on arrival for further instructions," an angry professor snapped.

"Yes, ma'am." Riley saluted and motioned for his team to leave the area.

Buffy started after them, but the scientist stepped in front of her. "I need you on a different assignment. It's a small job – reconnaissance. It's probably a waste of your abilities, but my boys are already on their way out."

"No problem." The Slayer was surprised at the sudden shift in mood. Walsh was smiling and relaxed. "What do you need me to do?"

The scientist led the smaller blonde to a table laden with maps. "We have reports of a Class 3 Subterrestrial moving through the sewers on the north edge of town." She traced a finger over a section of the map.

"Class 3?" Buffy inquired.

"It's a low level threat," her new boss explained. "Minimal aggression; meager defenses." She paused, taking a tazer rifle from a young Marine. "They barely even show up on the scans, and occasionally turn out to be raccoons." The older blonde held the rifle out to Buffy.

Raising her eyebrows but accepting the weapon, the Slayer quipped, "You guys really don't like raccoons, do you?"

As usual, her humor fell flat. Professor Walsh ignored the small joke and picked up a headset. "I just need you to wear this. It's a visual transmitter. I'll be able to see what you see and relay orders from here." She pressed the equipment into the young girl's hand. "I don't want to put you in any unnecessary danger."

Awkwardly swinging the gun in the scientist's direction, Buffy juggled all of her new equipment. "Hey, don't worry about it. Danger's my birthright." She hesitated. "Professor Walsh," she met the woman's intense gaze, "no one's answered my questions about the Initiative and the 314 Project. Let's talk when I get back." Clutching her rifle and the headset, Buffy trotted passed the astonished scientist, heading for the sewers.


	5. Chapter 5

The conversation with the professor bothered the Slayer as she traveled through Sunnydale. Riley and the guys had been called out on a security problem. That sounded way more important – and dangerous – than the peaceful demon. Buffy needed to get answers. She entered the sewer Walsh had indicated on the map, and pulled her thoughts back to the job at hand.

The tunnel reeked, and discolored liquid flowed sluggishly in the drainage channel. Brandishing the tazer rifle with her right hand, the Slayer held the microphone from the headset tightly to her cheek. She continued walking, senses on high. Despite the information supplied by the Initiative, the blonde didn't see any sign of demon habitation. In fact, other than the usual vegetation hanging from the ceiling, the tunnel was amazingly clean. Maybe Professor Walsh had been mistaken. Buffy took a couple more steps into the sewer, considering a swift return to the base. It never happened.

Her senses sounded an internal alert. "Professor Walsh?" The blonde spoke urgently into the headset. "Are you getting this?" No response sounded in her ear, but the Slayer continued providing an update. "That possible HST? Make that a definite." The demons were closing in. She heard movement ahead in the tunnel. From the noises, it was more than just one opponent. Two robed and armed figures walked slowly into the passageway. "He's brought along a friend. They seem…"

The Slayer broke off. The duo seemed familiar. The lab! Professor Walsh and some scientist types had been examining the same kind of creature when she had gotten the grand tour of the base. _What the hell is going on? _Raising the rifle, Buffy vowed to get the truth from the humorless professor. The weapon was awkward, and the blonde wished she'd brought something from her own arsenal. Taking aim, she pulled the trigger.

Electrical current slammed through her system. A hoarse scream tore from her throat, and she staggered back, dropping the sparking gun. Behind her, metal grating descended, cutting off her exit. _OK. Answers not needed. This is so the setup_. Anger quickened her pulse. The emotion helped keep the fear at bay. A quick scan showed nothing she could use as a weapon.

Deciding to go for broke, the Slayer leapt off the raised pad she stood on. Performing a flawless scissor kick, she drove both demons back several feet. She landed and faced off with her opponents. "So, guys, did you just take a wrong turn or did someone drop you off here?" Two green-mustachioed faces looked at her expressionlessly. "OK. Not the talkative types I see." Buffy found herself bracketed by the strange looking demons and traded blows with each. They were good, maybe too good. One of the robed figures managed to connect with its axe handle. Buffy went down hard, the communications headset sliding across the floor. Direct attack wasn't going to work.

She and Riley had been working on different styles of combat, and the blonde realized it was time to turn practice into reality. Clambering to her feet, Buffy dove between the two demons, tucking and rolling until she stood behind them. Taking advantage of their momentary confusion, she swept one's legs, sending it crashing to the floor. The other swung the large axe. Ducking, she used the heavy weapon's momentum. Grabbing the handle of the three foot wooden piece, she swung in the direction of the original blow. The demon came off the ground, flying across the tunnel. He hit the wall with terrible force and lay motionless after sliding to the ground.

"Oops! Sorry about your friend," she quipped, facing off with the final demon. It seemed confused and weakened with the loss of its partner. Using the axe from the downed demon, Buffy finally managed to behead the creature.

"Now, how do I find out if you were planted here?" The Slayer roughly searched both bodies, grimacing at the gruesome sight of the headless torso of the nearest one. Nothing. No clues anywhere. "Well, fuck. What did I expect, a tattoo saying "Property of the Initiative?" The blonde glared at the bodies, thinking about the demons' actions. Despite the strength of their attack, they'd been wooden, unimaginative.

_I wonder…_ Reaching for the loose head, Buffy grumbled, "Damn. I really liked this top." The axe was not the correct tool for exploratory brain surgery, but it did the job in a pinch. Covered in gore, the Slayer examined the computer chip she'd located in the brain of the demon. "Think I owe Will more than just a mocha for this one."

The blonde witch screamed. "Tara, what is it?" Willow shot forward, grabbing her friend's hand. "Tara?" she said, getting no response.

Staring into space, the blonde was frighteningly still. Careful not to break the Circle, the younger witch climbed out of the bed and moved to stand next to the frozen woman. "Hey, come on. You're scaring me." She shook the girl by the shoulder. It seemed to help; a spark of life showed in the blue eyes. "Tara? What happened? What did you see?"

Tara blinked slowly as the vision faded. Looking up, she saw a frantic Willow at her side. "Willow, we-we ha-have to get out of here."

"Why?"

At any other time, the blonde might have thought the constant questioning cute. Right now, it wasted time. "There's a demon at the Initiative. He killed the faerie and he's tracking our spell."

"Oh. Oh!" Green eyes widened. "We can go to Giles.'"

Unfurling from her lotus position, the older witch merely nodded. She had to take down the Circle before they could leave. Normally, Tara was careful when grounding magical energy. Tonight, speed won out over safety. Murmuring a few words, she made a slashing motion with her hand. The Circle flared a brilliant blue before exploding in a shower of energy. The particles of magic floated to the ground and were absorbed back into the mystical power lines under the building. "Let's go."

Willow made a beeline for the desk, not following Tara to the door. "Will, hurry!" The blonde could feel the magical trace getting closer.

"I am! But we may need my laptop to get more information. And," she grabbed a fanny pack loaded with holy water and a cross, "it won't do us any good to get munched on the way."

They startled a few students as they sprinted down the hallway and slammed into the stairwell. "Is there any way to block the tracking spell?" Willow's mind raced along, creating and discarding solutions to their problem.

"Maybe," Tara panted. She was already tiring, and they hadn't left the quad. "I can't do it, though. The tracer spell is locked onto my signal. If I draw in too much energy, it'll be like setting off a homing beacon."

"Got it. No spells for you." Willow grabbed the slower girl and pulled her along. "Could I do it?"

Tara didn't answer immediately. They pounded down a walkway that ran along the edge of the campus. It went through some dangerous territory for night travel, but it was easily the fasted route to Buffy's Watcher. "Yeah. I think you could do it, but not while we're running. We'd have to be stationary and I'd have to write the incantation down for you."

"Think we can wait til we get there? Or should we stop?"

"No. No stopping." Tara was sure of that. She couldn't probe too hard if she wanted to avoid alerting her follower. However, reaching out along her power signature, she could still sense the demon. It had located the dorm room. "They've found the dorm."

They stopped talking and concentrated on running. By the time they reached the stairs to the Watcher's apartment, both girls were exhausted. Willow dragged herself to the door and pounded on the wood. It was late and no lights shone through the window. She kept pounding until an irritated voice called out, "Hang on, you bloody blighter!" The door wrenched open, and Giles glared at the redhead.

"Oh, good Lord," he exclaimed, seeing her condition. Willow couldn't speak, too busy sucking in air, but she waved at Tara, leaning against the railing. "I've got her, Willow. Go on inside."

The young witch was only too happy to stagger into the apartment, where she immediately dropped onto the couch. Giles joined her minutes later, the blonde in his arms. He settled his bundle into the recliner and stepped back. "Have you recovered sufficiently to explain, Willow?"

It still hurt to breathe, but the Scooby knew she had to help Tara hide from the tracking spell. Concentrating on choosing words to quickly get her point across, she stared directly into questioning brown eyes and said, "Initiative…spell…found lots of demons."

Luckily for Willow, Giles had grown adept at figuring out his young charges' often strange patterns of speech. Making sure he had translated correctly, he repeated, "You did a spell and located many demons at the Initiative." He was rewarded by a blinding smile. "While I appreciate the importance of the information, my dear, I'm sure it could have waited until morning."

The young girl leveled a fierce glare in his direction and tried to explain. "One demon…traced spell…need…hide Tara."

"Bloody hell." Giles looked at the unconscious witch in his favorite recliner. "There's a spell." He began pulling books from the shelf behind Tara. Mumbling to himself and wildly turning pages, he hunted for a particular incantation. "Here!" He moved to the couch and shoved the spellbook at Willow. "It will let you disrupt her power signature."

"Me?" the redhead managed. "I can't…"

"You have to. It takes a witch." The older man rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I've dabbled, but I don't have the talent or the training for this."

Swallowing hard, Willow took the book and glanced at the spell. She frowned. It was in a spidery script and in an obscure dialect of Sumerian. Glancing at Tara, the young witch vowed to get this incantation correct. "OK, Giles. I need salt, bay leaf, essence of toad, and…umm, a knife."

They rushed around the tiny apartment, hurriedly gathering supplies. Willow wasn't sure how much time they had, but she was sure it wouldn't be long. Piling everything on the end table, the redhead rushed through the incantation. Tossing the ingredients into a bowl and mixing them, she began to chant the words of the spell. Holding her arm over the mixture, Willow reached the final stanza. Using Giles' paring knife as her athame, the witch drew the tiny blade across the palm of her hand, letting blood fall into the ingredients just as she finished chanting. Smoke exploded from the bowl, all the lights in the room sparked, and Willow felt an electronic buzzing fill the air.

"We're good, Giles. No more tracing going on in here." She was flushed with excitement. Her spell had worked.

"Marvelous job, my dear," the Watcher commented. "Now, you seem to have recovered. Could you possibly elaborate on the earlier tale?"

Nodding rapidly, the young witch dropped back on the couch. "Yeah. I don't know it all. Tara did the spell at the dorms, but I'll tell you what I know." She highlighted the purpose of the casting and the alarming return of the faeries. "Tara told me there was a demon at the Initiative who could do magic. He was the one who started the trace on her power signature." She grabbed her computer bag and pulled out the text she'd 'borrowed' from the Englishman. "We used this to identify the types of demons the Initiative was holding." Ignoring his reproving look, she finished her story. "The faeries only pointed out a few demons before they came to show Tara their casualty. Whatever's going on down there, I don't think the Initiative is here to help with the Slaying."

"No, they're not."

Watcher and witch spun around. Buffy stood by the entrance to Giles' tiny kitchen, covered in grime. "Professor Walsh sent me on a rigged mission, trapping me in the sewer with two of her pet demons. I dug this," she held out the computer chip, "out of one's head." The blonde looked fierce. "If she thinks that's all it takes to kill a Slayer, she's got another thing coming."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'm almost there, Howard. I promise.

"You're saying Maggie Walsh set you up?" Giles asked, disbelieving.

"Hello, Giles!" Willow commented. "I've been saying all along something was wrong with her."

The older man regarded her sternly. "Willow, I don't think now is the proper time for you to say 'I told you so.' Buffy, why would Professor Walsh try to kill you? She just offered you a position on her team."

The filthy blonde tried to run a hand through her hair and grimaced. "We so need to talk this over, Giles, but could we maybe hold off long enough for me to clean up?"

"Of course, Buffy." The ex-Watcher gestured to the stairs. "Go ahead and use my bathroom. I'll search around for clothing you can use."

"Thanks." Moving slowly, the Slayer climbed the stairs to the second floor.

"Willow, perhaps you could contact Xander and Anya while I get Buffy something to wear?"

"Sure, Giles." Checking to make sure Tara was resting comfortably, she bounced up and grabbed the phone. Punching in numbers from memory, the witch considered the news Buffy had brought. New, magic-wielding demons, computer chips…

"Yeah?" Xander's grumpy voice barked into the phone.

"Oh, hey, Xand. It's Willow."

"Really? Cause I thought it was Brooke Shields," the boy said sarcastically. Then he sighed. "What's up, Will? Another Apocalypse that just can't wait a few more hours til morning?"

"Um, maybe." The redhead didn't bother with a long explanation. She could see Tara stirring in the chair. "Look, we found out some scary stuff about the Initiative. We're at Giles' and could use your help with the research and all."

Through the phone, the witch heard sheets rustling and a female voice in the background. "An wants to know if she should come, too." The flood of talking in the background nearly made Willow laugh. She wondered exactly what the ex-demon had really said.

Despite her dislike of Xander's outspoken girlfriend, the witch knew they could use her expertise. "Yeah. She should come. We're trying to identify a new demon."

"OK. We'll grab some sugary sustenance on the way." He hung up and Willow wandered back over to the couch.

The blonde witch regarded her friend wearily. "I don't feel the trace anymore. What happened?"

"I did this really cool spell Giles had to disrupt your power signature. It must have worked, because no creepy demon guy showed up." She grinned. "I can't believe I did it – and it worked."

A crooked half-smile worked its way across Tara's lips. "You just needed some confidence in your magic."

They both turned as Giles came back downstairs. "Well, she might not be as fashionable as she prefers, but at least she won't be covered in demon remains," he commented. "Are you alright, my dear?" he asked Tara

"I'm f-f-fine, Mr. Giles," the blonde stuttered and then blushed.

Sensing her discomfort, the Englishman patted her hand gently on his way to the couch. "Willow tried to describe what happened, but could you give me details about the demon you saw? The one with the magic?"

"Good idea, but let's wait until the rest of the Scoobies are here," Buffy commented from the top of the stairs. The Slayer made her way downstairs without her usual grace. She wore a pair of her ex-Watcher jeans. Even belted and rolled up, she kept tripping over the excess material. An old sweater covered her top. It, too, was drastically too large, and the shoulders of the grey cashmere rested at the blonde's elbows. Seeing the mischief sparkling in green eyes, Buffy glared at her best friend. "Don't say it, Will."

"Say what, Buffy?" the witch replied innocently.

"Oooh, like I believe that act, Rosenberg." Finally reaching the couch, the Slayer flopped down at the far end and dropped bare feet into the redhead's lap. "I take it Xand and Anya are on the way?" At the trio of nods, she smiled. "Cool. Full house for the party. Although, Willow, it might be nice if you introduced me to your friend." She slanted an eyebrow at Tara.

The blonde in the recliner blushed as everyone in the room looked at her. "Oh, sorry," Willow gushed. "This is Tara. She's a witch I met at the campus Wicca meeting. Only, she's a real witch, not like the rest of the wanna-be's."

The shy blonde nodded, but didn't say anything. "So, you're here to what? Help with the magic stuff?" Buffy looked at Giles. He seemed calm, which was unusual. Normally, bringing in a new Scooby caused her father figure to freak.

"I h-helped Wil-Willow try to identify the demons at the Initiative last night." Tara glanced at her redhead companion.

Seeing the look, Buffy's eyes narrowed. _Is she checking Will out_? the Slayer asked herself. It certainly appeared that way. The taller blonde stared at Buffy's best friend with longing in her eyes. _Whoa! How did I miss this_? She glanced at Willow. The redhead seemed oblivious to Tara's intimate regard. _Huh_, she thought with an inner smirk, _I'm not the only one missing things_.

Xander and Anya interrupted her thoughts, bursting into the apartment. "Hey, guys!" the brunette boy announced, holding two boxes of doughnuts in the air. "Food's here."

"Great," Buffy said. "Let's get down to business, then."

A few minutes passed while everyone grabbed doughnuts and drinks. When they were all settled in the small living room, Giles kicked things off. "Tara, my dear, why don't you tell us what you and Willow discovered with your spell last night?"

Although uncomfortable being the center of attention, the older witch nodded. "Sure. Willow and I tried to find out how many demons the Initiative was holding and what types they were." She smiled at the redhead. "It didn't work out the way we planned."

"Yes." Anya said. "Willow's spells never work right." She glared at Xander when he poked her. "What? Have you forgotten what happened when Oz left?"

"Be that as it may," ever the peacemaker, Giles tried to redirect the conversation, "I believe we need to listen carefully to what Tara has to say."

"Sorry," Xander apologized for himself and his tactless girlfriend.

"It-it's OK," the blonde mumbled. She pulled into herself, arms wrapped tightly around her middle. "The faeries went to the base and came back to show us what they'd found. They pinpointed demons in a book Willow had." She took a deep breath, shaking off the memory of the demon-man she'd glimpsed. "One of the faeries was killed and its companions showed me what happened."

"Yes, Willow mentioned a demon that could do magic," Giles said. He apparently wanted more information and less background.

"I'm not sure it was a demon. Well, not entirely a demon," Tara tried to clarify. "It looked like a man, but it had patches of green skin mixed with normal skin. And," she shuddered, "there were metal plates and things on its on head and chest."

"Professor Walsh built it," the Slayer stated.

A silent group stared at the blonde in horror. "Are you sure, Buffy?" Willow finally asked.

"Pretty sure. I overheard her talking with another scientist about using part of a Polgara demon for something." She turned to the witch in the recliner. "The patches of green skin you saw, could they have been demon skin?"

Eyes widening at the question, Tara nodded jerkily. "Yes. Yes, it could have."

"So the Initiative built whatever it was you saw," Willow said. "Buffy, do you think it might be the 314 Project?"

"I don't know, Will." The Slayer started to pace. "It makes sense."

"You know, Buffy, this is all your fault." Anya pointed out. "I mean, you seem to have absolutely tragic taste in men."

Looking confused and a touch defensive, Buffy looked at the ex-vengeance demon. "What does my taste in men have to do with this?"

"Oh, really-" the blonde next to Xander began.

Leaning forward, the brunette Scooby slapped a hand over her mouth. "Nothing, Buff, just ignore her. We didn't get enough sleep and it always makes her cranky."

"I am not cranky," Anya protested, moving away from her boyfriend. "Well, OK, maybe a little, but only because Willow interrupted us in the middle of having orgasms." Everyone in the room flinched. "But, Buffy, you don't really think Riley was crocheting booties for your future children while you were off getting trapped in the sewer."

Shocked hazel eyes swept the room. Although no one else had spoken, the Slayer saw silent agreement in three sets of eyes. The fourth pair belonged to Tara, and she hadn't been one of them long enough to have an opinion. "You guys think Riley had something to do with this?"

"Probably not," Giles assured her, tidying up the cluttered room. "But," he turned to lean against an end table, "we would be remiss if we didn't think on all the possibilities"

"Right. Remiss," Buffy parroted. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she dropped her eyes. It wasn't Riley's fault he worked for a mad, power hungry scientist. A small hand touched her shoulder, and the Slayer looked up into sympathetic green eyes.

"Stop it, Anya. It isn't Riley's or Buffy's fault. They didn't ask the Initiative to come here." The young witch glared at Anya. "We need to stop pointing fingers and come up with a plan. Tara's a powerful witch and that demon was still able to sense her magic and track her."

"Then we need to do a little recon," Xander commented. "It's the only way to find out what's going on underground." He held up a hand when Anya started to complain. "Don't, An. This is serious. I know I promised not to do any of the dangerous stuff, but I can't just sit and do nothing. I'm the only one with military knowledge."

He stood up and met Buffy's eyes. "It's time to go undercover." He returned the Slayer's smile. "Will, is there a way to get us in?"

"Yeah, Tara and I were talking about a glamour to fool the sensors, and…"

"Will, we don't need magic." Buffy grinned at the witch standing at her side. "I don't think the Professor's had a chance to remove my security clearance." She sobered. "We need to get the rest of you to a safer location, though. Giles, they're going to be looking for us. Is there someplace you can all go? They'll look in all the places we normally hang out."

The ex-Watcher thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose we could use the safe house the Council maintains here in town." He seemed very uncomfortable with the thought.

"Oh, yeah." Buffy's voice was flat. "The house where they had Kralick try to kill me and Mom." No one said anything as Watcher and Slayer faced off over the memory. "Good idea, Giles." The blonde shook off the lingering resentment. "Can you swing by the house and pick up Mom? I don't think the Initiative would hurt her, but…"

"They might try to use her as bait." Tara ended her silence. "I think it would be good if Willow went with you, Buffy. You might need some magical protection if you run into the demon. I'm still too wiped out and my power is unstable." She smiled fondly at the younger witch. "She's good. She'll be able to help."

Buffy wanted to argue, but the other blonde had a point. "OK, Xand and Will, you're with me. The rest of you, go with Giles."


	7. Chapter 7

"OK, Xander, what's the plan?" Buffy asked. They'd headed to his parent's house to grab some supplies before hitting the Initiative.

Frowning in concentration as he loaded a clip into his 'borrowed' handgun, the brunette Scooby replied, "We get you two into costume, use your security code to get us in, and hope we find a chatty scientist to explain the 314 thing to us."

"We need to find Dr. Engelmann. He and Walsh are cozy. If anyone in the Initiative knows what 314 is, I'm betting on him." The Slayer grabbed the clothes Willow handed her. "Hey, since when do I have to dress in unflattering blacks and browns?"

"Well, I guess I could be the big bad Marine," the redhead commented with a quirky grin. "I've been working out you know." She held up a thin arm and flexed.

"Nice, Will. I'm sure you could take on at least a platoon all by yourself." The girls shared a laugh as they moved behind Xander's privacy curtain – sheets dangling from a clothesline strung across the basement – to change. Buffy tried to remember how Riley put his clothing together and tucked, tightened, and fastened every button and flap she found. The clunky boots were another matter. Ten minutes later, she managed to get the pants to blouse correctly and tied the footwear with a flourish. Standing, she held out her arms and posed. "How do I look?"

"Kinda butch. Cute, but butch." The redhead giggled at the shock on the Slayer's face. "What? I'm a college girl now. I know lots more things than I used to." She moved behind the shorter girl and undid the ponytail. "If I remember correctly, this has to be above your collar." She started braiding the blonde hair with the ease of familiarity. "Hey, this is like being back in high school, huh?"

"Hmmm, let's see…big bad monster guy, check; possible large scale death and destruction, check; quality time with my bestest friend, check." She grinned. "Yep. High school all over again."

"Goof." Willow smacked the other girl on the shoulder.

She just happened to hit a bruise left by the demon's axe. "Ow!" Buffy pulled away.

Eyes wide, the witch started apologizing. "Buffy, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, really, I mean…Hey, how did I hurt you, anyway?"

"Remember the sewer demons from earlier? One of them got off a lucky shot." The Slayer poked her friend in the arm. "Course, it could be all that working out you're doing."

"Yep. Better be careful, Slayer, I might be after your job." Deciding she just had to do it, Willow played on Buffy's earlier shock. Moving closer to the camouflaged blonde, she dropped her voice to a husky whisper. "You know, I'd be happy to kiss that nasty bruise all better."

Buffy's head came up so fast, Willow was surprised it didn't pop off. "Will!"

Shrieking with laughter, the hacker ran for safety, chanting, "I got you! I got you!" She dashed through the curtain, nearly ripping it from the clothesline, and hid behind a bemused Xander.

"Gee, Will, I'm glad to see you, too. Wanna tell me why the Buffster is stalking toward us with that death look in her eyes?" He checked the safety on his weapon and slowly stood up. "Girls, normally I'd enjoy a little girl-on-girl smackdown, but we have a mission to complete. Remember, Professor Walsh and some big demony guy?"

Buffy straightened to her full height and meticulously adjusted her belt buckle. "Fine. We do the mission. Then," she glared at a still laughing Willow, "we're talking about this new person who's taken over my shy redhead."

Sensing it might be time to get his friends moving, Xander handed Buffy her own gun. "Xander, I don't do guns."

"You do now, Marine," he commented. Picking through a cardboard box, he finally located a weapons belt for his small friend. "Here. See if you can get this tight enough. If not, I'll have to punch a new hole in the belt."

Mumbling under her breath about evil twins and soldier memories, the Slayer donned the belt, pulling the leather through the buckle until it fit. Thanks to military engineering, there were just enough holes so she could fasten it without worry it would fall off. With a last grimace of distaste, she rammed the gun into the holster, snapped the flap closed over the butt, and tied the holster to her thigh. "Let's do this," she said.

The three disguised Scoobies crept through Lowell House. The normally bustling faux-frat house was deserted.

"Seems pretty quiet," Xander commented, peering around a corner.

Buffy scanned the area with her Slayer senses. Someone was heading their way. She gestured for Willow to get behind her and nodded down the hallway. Xander nodded in return and his hand dropped to his gun. Seconds later, a uniformed man rushed by, brushing past the Slayer without a word. "It usually is," Buffy finally answered Xander's comment.

The trio continued down the hallway. Buffy stopped in front of a full length mirror. Punching a button on the wall, she gazed at her reflection. "Hey, Buff, maybe you could check the look later." Xander moved behind her.

"Don't." The Slayer shoved her friend out of the way, eliciting a surprised yelp from the boy. "Sorry," the blonde apologized without looking away from the mirror. "I'm the only one who can pass the retinal scan."

"Ooh," Willow cooed. "She means they scan her eye and match it to a print on file," she explained.

"Well, we'll know in a few seconds if my clearance is good." Buffy waited while a green light traveled up and down her body.

A mechanical voice chimed, "Retinal scan recorded. Summers, Buffy," and the mirror slid aside, revealing an elevator car. The Scoobies climbed aboard and began their descent. On the ride down, Buffy and Xander checked their weapons and uniforms while Willow donned a white lab coat. Feeling faintly ridiculous, they waited for the elevator to reach the ground floor.

The doors finally opened, revealing the heart of the Initiative. Military and science personnel scurried around the huge expanse. Willow and Xander wandered forward, dazed at the size, to peer over the railing into the examination lab inset into the floor.

"Holy moley," Xander breathed. "I totally get it now. Can I have sex with Riley, too?"

Willow giggled at the look in his eye and Buffy's irritated response. Grabbing her fellow "Marine," the Slayer dragged him away from his vantage point. They marched down a flight of metal stairs with the redhead following along behind. Despite frequent moments of panic when faced with groups of soldiers, the Scoobies had little problem crossing the base.

Once they left the more public areas, all three teens relaxed slightly. The long white corridors were less heavily populated. Buffy, having been in the facility before, naturally took the lead. "Hey, Buffy? How many people work down here?" Willow wanted to know.

"I'm not sure, Will. Is it important?"

Nervously tugging at the too-large coat, the redhead replied, "It could be. Think about it, guys. If you were a secret military organization run by a psychopathic scientist, you'd want a bunch of people working for you. It makes it much harder to keep track of all the projects going on. You can have groups for research or personnel, and each one has its own mission statement. With everyone focused on their own job, they aren't going to be interested in what happens across the hall in, say, Room 314."

"That's so simple, it actually makes sense," Xander said.

Buffy paused and motioned for them to gather in a recessed doorway. Voices sounded down the hall.

"The men are still out there," a man said urgently. "The longer they go without their meds, the more dangerous it becomes."

"I know," a second voice said. He sounded tired and frustrated. "With the professor's death, the schedules are all off. We've managed to locate all but a few. The last group was in pretty bad shape, but we got them stabilized."

The three hidden teens listened, shocked at the information. Drugs in the food? What was the Initiative doing to the soldiers working in the lab? Buffy was concentrating so hard on the problem, she nearly missed the rest of the conversation.

"Finn is still at large, right?" the first speaker asked.

"Yeah. We have all available personnel looking for him."

"He's a key part of the project. You make sure you find him and bring him in. He's the only one I really care about." The voices faded as the speakers moved away from the trio. The gang remained frozen in place, each trying to reconcile the information they'd overheard.

"Come on, guys. We can deal with this later. Right now, we have a demon to find." The Slayer sprinted down the hall after the scientists. Rounding a corner, she glimpsed a white-coated figure use a key card to access a sealed lab. Waiting until he went inside, she rushed to the door, making sure it didn't close behind him. Willow and Xander joined her and the three slipped inside. The individual they'd followed had his back to the door, staring intently at a computer screen.

Buffy stalked across the room and grabbed the unsuspecting man, spinning him to face her. "You know," she told the frightened scientist, "I don't usually like killing humans, but I've learned it pays to be flexible in life."

"I was wondering when you'd turn up," Dr. Engelmann remarked. He looked down at the tiny blonde who effortlessly held him in place.

Clicking her tongue and looking at the other two teens, she lamented. "Darn, then this wasn't a surprise. Now, you can tell me what you did to Riley and then we can all take a tour of 314."

Arrogantly, the man stared over her head. "Someone's coming, you know." Xander and Willow glanced at the closed lab door. "I'm sure by now security has spotted you on the cameras."

"Will," the Slayer ordered.

"On it." Pushing passed the blonde and her captive, the hacker tapped furiously on the keyboard. "It's got a password. I can break it, but it'll take a while."

Lifting Engelmann off the ground, Buffy asked politely, "Password, please?" The dark haired man shook his head. "Damn. Have it your way." She swung the scientist around, slamming him against the wall. He grunted, but made no comment. The frustrated blonde prepared to rough up the smug scientist when a body hurtled from above, landing on the ground with a sickening sound.

Everyone looked up at the grotesque figure standing on the catwalk. "Tell the witch not to worry about security. I made sure the cameras were inoperable."


	8. Chapter 8

"You must be Adam," Buffy stated. "Nice. Definitely different from the usual run-of-the-mill demons we see." She prayed her unease wasn't too apparent. The thing on the catwalk was huge and looked straight from a science fiction special effects project.

A smile stretched the green skin on the left side of the monster's face. "Indeed. I am Adam." He stepped off the walkway and dropped to the floor. His feet rang metallically when they hit the floor. Not fazed by the twenty-foot drop, the hybrid stood calmly regarding the four humans. "Maggie Walsh created me."

Buffy nodded, sliding slowly to her left, hoping to get between the creature and the Scoobies. "Yeah. The good professor had some issues. So, you planning on taking over the world? Cause you might want to rethink that plan."

"Why?" Adam regarded the Slayer curiously.

The blonde struggled for an answer. _Do I look like Answer Girl?_ Luckily, Willow stepped in to give her friend a hand. "Because trying to take over Sunnydale leads to you being dead. Simple, really." Her light, girlish voice was swallowed in the large room.

No one was prepared for the laughter that rumbled from Walsh's creation. "Magnificent. You think you can beat me." It wasn't a question. Adam cocked his head, eyes boring into the novice witch. "You feel familiar. Why?"

"No reason," Willow squeaked. "I mean, I'm not anything special; just me. Maybe you're confusing me with someone else."

Unfortunately for the redhead, the demon made the connection. "Ah. You use magic. I can feel your power." Red eyes bored into the redhead. "It is minimal, but surprising. Mother did not know humans could do magic." He moved forward a step.

That was enough for Buffy. The time for talk was over. Leaping in front of her best friend, she grabbed the hybrid's outstretched arm and launched a kick. She made solid contact with Adam's chest, but it didn't even slow his movement. A clawed hand grabbed the Slayer by the shirt, hurling her into the air. The blonde crashed into a research station, tearing through the table and landing on the floor. She lay there, stunned, as Adam stroked Willow's face with his human hand.

"Xan!" she called. Shaking himself out of his shock, the male Scooby drew his handgun and fired at Adam. The bullets bounced off the energy shield suddenly surrounding the demon.

"Your pathetic weapons cannot harm me." Adam smirked. "Maggie Walsh was a brilliant woman. She made sure I was protected from all manner of attack."

Willow was terrified. She felt the power surrounding the man/demon/machine standing so close. But the witch wasn't willing to watch the destruction of her family. Thinking furiously, the redhead pieced together a spell and reached out with astral hands, tapping into the enormous power source in front of her. The magic flooded through her and she channeled it into the words she chanted. Fearing a direct attack would also be deflected, she merged with the shield surrounding Adam, disrupting the harmony of the energy. Intermittent holes appeared. "Xan, try again," she ordered.

The report of the weapon rang through the room. Although most of the shots were stopped by the barrier, a few managed to find the gaps in the magic. Adam staggered. Blood and ichor oozed from the wounds. "You annoy me," he growled.

"Damn. And here I thought we could all hold hands and be friends," Willow chirped. Still flushed with her borrowed power, she tried a different spell. Continuing to disrupt the shield energy, she sent a tendril of magic around the demon, looking for a point of entry. The witch grinned, feeling the data drive mounted in the hybrid's chest. Her energy streaked into the port, widening as it flowed through the circuitry.

Her infiltration finally caught Adam's attention. He tried to grab the redhead, but his mechanical servos were frozen. Howling, he leveled a blast of raw power at Willow. Unprepared for the attack, the novice witch screamed in pain and dropped to the floor. "We will meet again, humans." With a powerful movement, the demon leapt up to the catwalk and disappeared through a doorway.

Buffy and Xander scrambled to Willow's side. "Doctor!" the Slayer snapped. The white-coated scientist ignored the panicked command and fled. "Fuck." The blonde pulled Willow into her arms. "Come on, Will. Wake up, please."

"Don't wanna," the slim redhead mumbled. Green eyes blinked up at the Slayer before widening. A blush raced across her cheeks, highlighting her freckles. "Whoo boy! What a rush." She grinned maniacally. "Now I know what Faith meant. Hey, Buffy, you get like this after patrol every night?"

The blonde scrambled to her feet, nearly tossing the witch onto the floor in her haste. "Let's get out of here," she said, avoiding the question hanging in the air. The other two teens shared a smile at Buffy's typical evasion of the question regarding the "HH Factor." "We need to fill Giles in. I don't think his precious books are going to be much help with this one."

They exited the lab. Soldiers swarmed the vast underground complex. "Looks like Engelmann alerted the troops," Xander commented. The three Scoobies ran through the organized confusion without challenge. The elevator ride passed in silence, each teen trying to come to terms with their battle with Adam.

"OK, guys. We need to get to the Council safe house. With Walsh dead, I don't think we need to hide from the Initiative, but Adam's on the loose." Buffy took the lead as the trio ran out of Lowell House. The sun had set.

Willow grabbed the blonde's arm. "Buffy, wait. We can't go charging through downtown Sunnydale in uniform. You and Xander are armed, for Goddess' sake."

"She's got a point, Buff."

Nodding reluctantly, the Slayer looked at the redhead. "Got a plan?"

"I'm working on it." The witch flashed an impish grin. "It isn't much, but it should keep us from getting too much attention. It's Thursday."

The 'and your point is' looks from her friends caused the grin to widen. "ROTC day, guys. Come on. It's the one day all the military students come out in uniforms. Ditch the guns inside Lowell House and we'll just be three college students out for a walk."

Xander didn't like the idea of leaving the weapons behind. "I don't know if we can get anymore guns, guys. This is the last of the supply we stole." He looked at Buffy. "We may need them."

"OK, Will. Plan B?"

Frowning in thought, Willow finally said, "Maybe. Don't move, 'k?" She was tired, but there was just enough power. Muttering a quick incantation, she waved her hands in front of the two 'Marines.' The air rippled and thickened around them. "As long as we don't walk in front of any mirrors, we're good." She rubbed her forehead. A reaction headache threatened.

"What did you do?" Buffy wanted to know as they resumed their trek for Sunnydale's residential area.

"I put a glamour on the guns." Willow struggled to keep up with the other two. It had been a very long time since she'd slept and the magics had wiped her out. "It's not a complicated one, so if you're in front of a mirror, the guns will show."

"Cool. Way to go, Will." The blonde smiled. "Looks like you just might be able to take my job after all. First you managed to freak out Adam and now the glamour. I think I'll retire."

"Goof." If she only had the energy, the witch would have smacked the grinning Slayer.

They slowed to a walk when they reached downtown. Throngs of people hurried down the sidewalks, intent on getting to their destinations as quickly as possible. The two BDU garbed teens got a few looks, but no one seemed overly interested. Finally, the Scoobies reached the edge of the business district. Buffy opened her Slayer senses, looking for possible threats. The night was quiet. "Think we're good, guys. No skulking required."

Still, they moved cautiously down the dark street to the Council's safe house. Entering through a back door, Buffy let her guard down and called out. "Hey, Giles? Mom?"

"In here, Buffy," Joyce Summers answered. The remaining members of the gang sat on couches around a long, low table. Dim lamps fought to provide lighting in the vast room. "Everything go OK?"

Ever the clown, Xander jumped in, "Not so much, Mrs. Summers. We met the demon and he pretty much laughed at us. Will managed to get off a few good shots, but me and the Buffster struck out."

"I take it you had no luck, then?" Giles tried to rephrase the teen's words.

"Right. The thing Tara saw last night has a name: Adam. It's some kind of hybrid." Willow went into lecture mode. "I'd guess Professor Walsh combined pieces of the demons the Initiative captured with a human body and then added some mechanical parts just to make sure she didn't miss anything."

"That's not good." The Watcher looked pained.

"Exactly. Add to that his penchant for random violence and a completely evil personality and you have an end of the world in the making." The Slayer's voice was tired. "Walsh outdid herself with this one. She screwed up big time with his programming or whatever. He's out of control."

Joyce joined the discussion. "Could you talk to her, honey? Maybe-"

"Too late, Mom. Her evil monster killed her." The younger Summers shrugged. "At least, that's the impression I got. She's definitely dead."

"Good Lord." Giles stood and paced. "Girls," he addressed the two witches, "do you remember which demons the faeries pointed out in the book?"

"Yes, Mr. Giles, but I don't think it was a complete list." Tara sat forward. "I don't think we can plan any magical offensive without a better idea what we might be facing."

The Briton removed his glasses and started chewing thoughtfully on the earpiece. "Perhaps we could try the spell a second time."

"Oh, no, Giles." Willow was quick to end that plan. "He's way powerful. I got a taste of it at the lab. We aren't trying that again." She described the demon's magical strength in detail. "I got lucky. He wasn't expecting me to try anything. Now that he knows we have magical capability, he'll be on guard."

No one seemed to have any more ideas. An uncomfortable silence grew in the room. Finally, Tara asked, "Do w-we ha-have any idea what Adam's mission is?"

"Based on the clues," Xander answered, "I'd say killing. He's a killing machine."

"That's probably a best case scenario," Buffy gloomily added. "He's unbelievably strong and he's a warlock to boot. Kinda got the best of it all, if you're on the Evil side of the game."

Willow tried to cheer up the Slayer. "Well, that's true. But, I'm betting since Professor Walsh designed Adam she left notes and stuff."

"Those are probably in the Initiative," Giles pointed out. "I don't think they are likely to let you walk back in and we certainly aren't in a position to mount a major offensive."

"No, but I did get into the system last night. I could go back and do some more digging." The redhead wasn't going to be brushed off. Giles never took her hacking seriously. "Maybe I can find her notes, or just a list of the demons they studied. It could help us identify all of Adam's parts."

"If you can do that, Willow, I'm sure we could do some magical research." Tara smiled crookedly at her student.

Buffy narrowed her eyes. She wasn't sure she liked the other blonde. After all, it took more than just one close call with demons to become a full-fledge member of the Scooby gang. "OK, Will. We'll turn you loose on the computers. Giles and Tara can start combing the magic books. Mom, Xander, and I will be the food and clothing getting crew. I think it's safer if we stay here for a bit."

"What about classes?" Everyone smiled at the redhead. "Hey, it's a valid question. Midterms will be here before you know it."

Knowing her friend's need to go to school, Buffy said, "Call a friend in one of your classes. Have them take notes and get assignments for you. I just don't want the Initiative or Adam waiting for us in regular spots." She walked over and hugged the despondent witch. "Come on, Will. It'll be like a big slumber party. Only without the movies, popcorn, and other goodies."

Willow brightened. "It has been a while since we got to spend quality time together. OK. I'll –"

A shrill ringing startled her into silence. "I'll get it." Giles moved across the room and picked up the phone. "Hello?...When?" Everyone looked at the older man. Something was wrong. His expression was worried. "OK. Thanks for calling."

The Scoobies waited for her to fill them in. "That was the hospital. I asked them to call if Faith's condition changed."

Swallowing hard, Buffy choked out, "She's dead?"

"No." The Watcher looked at his charge sympathetically. "She's awake, and she's disappeared."


	9. Chapter 9

"I'd say this qualifies for the worst timing ever award," Willow groused. She looked from Giles to Buffy. Slayer and Watcher were locked in their own worlds, silent and grim. "Buffy? Whacha thinking?"

It took a second for the blonde to respond. "Change in plan, guys. The rest of you stick with the original. I'm going to head out on patrol. Faith's back, and lucky for us she doesn't usually hide very well. I'll hit the hot spots in town; see if she's surfaced."

"Are you quite sure it's safe for that?" Giles wanted to know. "I mean, Adam is still on the loose."

"Exactly, Giles. Adam _is_ still on the loose. So is Faith. Do we really want two homicidal maniacs running around town?" Buffy crossed her arms and rolled her neck. Things couldn't get much worse, could they?

Willow wasn't about to let her friend go alone. "No way, Buff. This is Faith we're talking about. I'll go with you. If you do find her, I can do a spell and knock her out. With Adam out there, you can't be all banged up from a Slayer War." She glared at the blonde, daring her to refuse.

Buffy rose to the occasion. Moving into the witch's personal space, she said quietly, "I'm sorry, Will. But I go alone. I don't want you hurt, and Adam may be able to track your magic. Besides, you need to do the computer work"

"No." Green eyes met and held hazel. "I can set the computer up to do the search without me. If it finds anything, Giles or Tara can take a look. As for Adam, he never felt my power like he did Tara's. I used his own energy against him." She smiled slightly. "If he was going to use a tracking spell, he could find me here, too. I'm going."

"I'm not putting you in danger," Buffy stated.

"Hello? Been a Scooby for four years, here! It isn't the first time we've faced death together, Buffy. Get over it. You can take me, or I can follow you." The earlier smile turned a little nasty. "Even your Slayer speed can't outrun a tracking spell. I can find you anywhere, anytime."

Reluctantly, the Slayer acknowledged the point. "Fine. You go." She spun, locating her mother. "You and Xan be careful. We need supplies for at least a week. Bring as many of the weapons in the chest as you can carry. There's no telling what will be useful." Getting a nod from the older Summers, Buffy motioned for Giles to move into another room.

The Watcher was obviously confused. "We've got a second problem, Giles. If Will and I find Faith, what do we do with her? I'm not going to kill her." She shuddered. "I got too close the last time. We can't turn her in to the cops. They wouldn't know what to do with a Slayer, even if they knew we existed. The Council?"

"It's unlikely they would be of any help. I'm afraid they washed their hands of the entire situation." The older man was frustrated.

"So I have to make the decision." The blonde teen watched her mentor for some clue about how to proceed. "God knows she's caused problems and done things we can't ignore, but…"

"But what, my dear?"

"What if she doesn't remember what happened? What if she's out there alone, hiding, not knowing what's going on?" Giles looked skeptical. "I know, it's a long shot, but we could use her help on this one. I don't want to just take her out without knowing which side she's on. There's got to be a way to help her with the stuff from last year."

The Briton thought about that. "I suppose there might be avenues of rehabilitation we haven't thought of."

"OK, then." The Slayer was relieved. Giles wasn't asking her to kill her sister Slayer or disable her long-term. He was willing to let her feel Faith out. "Will and I'll see what's the what and report back." Buffy walked back in to the main living area. "Ready, Will?" she called to the redhead bent over the laptop.

"Yep. The program's running a series of algorithms, trying to decrypt the Initiative's security system. If it works, I showed Tara what to do. Once we're back from patrol, I can use the hook to do more digging." She stood up and looked at her best friend. "Where are we heading first?"

"The Bronze. After eight months of basically no life, I'm betting Faith is looking for some action."

"Oooh, good idea." Willow grabbed Buffy's hand and they left the house through the back entrance.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, while the Slayer tried to find the words for the question on her mind. "Uh, Will? Can I ask you something?"

"Haven't you always?" the witch joked.

"Yeah. I guess." Buffy bit her lip. "I was wondering what's up with Tara? You never mentioned her or anything and now she's a part of the gang."

Willow slowed down and looked closely at the shorter girl. "I met her at the Wicca meeting. Didn't I tell you that?"

"Yeah, but have you noticed the way she looks at you?" The Slayer couldn't believe she'd just said that.

"How she…" Green eyes widened and a blush highlighted the redhead's freckles. "Well, Buffy, Tara's a lesbian. I think she might be a little interested." Despite the blush, a huge grin split her face. "She doesn't know I know about her crush."

The blonde stared at her friend in shock. "You're OK with that?"

"Sure. It's nice to be admired, and Tara's gorgeous."

"Since when have you played for the home team, Will?" Buffy really wanted to know. What about Oz and Xander?

The witch didn't answer immediately. They'd hit downtown, and Willow wisely waited to continue the discussion until they weren't surrounded by people. "Well, you remember Vamp Me, right? I've had a long time to think about her and what Angel tried to say when she was locked in the book cage." She shrugged. "Besides, does it really matter?"

Seeing the confusion and hurt clouding the freckled face, Buffy was quick to reassure. "No! No, Will. I don't care if you're into women. It's just a surprise. There was Oz and Xander, and that thing in the computer." She squeezed the other girl's hand tighter. "I don't care who you love as long as they make you happy, Will."

"Thanks." A single tear traced its way down the witch's face. "I wanted to tell you, but we haven't been spending a lot of time together. When we did, I was afraid to risk our friendship by coming out. I really like her, Buffy. She's smart, and funny, and a powerful witch. She's helped me learn so much about magic and I like the way I am when she's around. I feel powerful."

Remembering the way the blonde witch had looked at Willow, Buffy ground her teeth. Willow had been hurt too much in the past. She wasn't going to let her friend get involved with the older girl until she'd done some checking. "Good for you, Will. I mean, she seems really nice." _Nice. Wow. Let's just gush with the compliments._

Fortunately, the redhead had focused on the club ahead missed the Slayer's lame comments. "You feel anything?"

Responding to Willow's sudden intensity, Buffy reached out with her senses. "Maybe. There's a ripple, but it's faint. Could just be a vamp on the prowl. Can you find her? Use that tracking spell?"

Dropping her head, the witch mumbled, "About that, I kinda exaggerated." At Buffy's snort, Willow protested, "I can do it. It just isn't as easy as I made it out to be."

The two girls entered the bar, giggling. The Bronze was crowded, and they moved through the throng, trying to reach the stairs to the upper level. If Buffy couldn't use her Slayer connection to the other girl, they'd have to try spotting her visually. Holding Willow's hand so they stayed together, Buffy pushed a path through the bodies. The balcony afforded them a nice vantage point, and the two leaned against the railing.

"Still nothing?" the witch inquired.

Buffy merely shook her head. "Not even a blip on the radar. Whatever I felt outside is gone. Besides, even with this crowd, I'm pretty sure we'd see her. The crowd of drooling potential fucks would give her away."

Willow giggled. "Buffy!"

"Sorry. That was a bit harsh." The Slayer scanned the bar one more time. "Well, no escaped murderers on the horizon, but we've got some action." She pointed. "Riley's here."

"Why's that a problem?"

"Well, remember the drug problem the doctor mentioned? I'm betting he's well into withdrawal now." Buffy pushed away from the railing. "Let's go. I don't want him doing anything stupid in public."

The two trotted downstairs and reversed their original path through the dancers. The Marine was at the bar, toe to toe with a couple of campus jocks. "Shit. Will, can you help me out? I need to clear the Bronze."

The redhead thought for a minute. "Yeah. Give me a couple. There's a fire alarm back by the bathrooms."

"Hey, no. I'm not having you in a jail cell."

"Dummy! I'll pull the handle with magic. I can do it from here, but I need to stop moving so I can concentrate." The witch pushed past a couple making out by a small table and dropped into an empty chair. Closing her eyes, she let go of her form, projecting an Astral Willow. The shadowy form floated through the crowd and down the dimly lit back hallway. She was dimly aware Buffy had continued toward Riley.

"Hey, Ry. When did you get here?" The blonde tried to be casual. Will hadn't gotten anyone out of the way, and there was a dangerous look in the young Marine's eyes.

"Buffy." His tone was short, almost angry. "What are you doing here?"

Watching him closely and silently urging Will to hurry, Buffy smiled. "You know, hanging out with Will, maybe do a little dancing. Usual weekend stuff."

A group of drunk co-eds bumped into Riley and the Slayer leapt forward just in time. Her boyfriend lunged at one of the young men, rage contorting his face. "Ry! What's the matter with you? Come on." She pulled him back around, glaring at him. "You could have really hurt someone."

"I'm sick and tired of protecting these people from the HSTs just so they can push me around." Sweat stood out on his face, and he looked pale. "Let's get out of here." He grabbed her hand and started across the floor.

It took far too much effort to halt the Marine. Buffy was stunned at his strength. "Ry. Stop! Stop!" she repeated when he kept yanking at her hand. "Fuck! If you don't stand still I'm going to knock you out and carry you out of here."

"Who put you in charge?" he roared. They were drawing a crowd. _Damn it, Will, do something soon. I don't want to put on a show for the good people of Sunnydale._

"Ry, calm down. You don't look so good. Why-" Strobe lights came on and a fire alarm blared. _Thank God_.

The masses of people began to head for the doors. Buffy waited with Riley as the building emptied. "What's going on with you, Ry? Have you been to the Initiative lately?"

"No. Not since the mission with the Polgara the other night." He shook his head. "The Professor sent us out to find a security breach, but we lost the signal." The wild look in his eyes faded as he talked. "I need to report back to her."

"Why haven't you? I mean, it's been almost an entire day?" Buffy was freaked. That wasn't like the by-the-book young man.

"What's it to you?" He took a fast step in her direction.

"Hey, guys." Willow bounced up, grinning. "Don't think I've ever seen this place so empty. Well, there was that time…"

"Shut up!"

The redhead flinched at the parade ground bellow.

Looking ready to explode, Riley paced forward until he stood mere inches away from the witch. "Why is it you're always around? Huh? Everywhere we go, you somehow manage to already be there or you show up later. You got the hots for my girlfriend?"

"I-what? Riley?" Willow took a step back.

"Answer me, you bitch. I saw you and that blonde friend of yours at some dyke meet and greet. Did you think Buffy would ever be interested in you?" He backhanded the redhead, and she staggered into a nearby table.

The Slayer saw red. Gripping the Marine's shirt, she tossed him across the room. "I've had enough of you, Riley. Mr. I'm the Big Bad Marine. Get over yourself. You know what your precious Initiative is really doing in Sunnydale?"

Riley climbed to his feet, wincing. "We're doing important research on demons."

"Party line crap." Buffy helped Willow to her feet. "You OK?" she asked, gently touching the bruise already forming on the freckled cheek. Receiving a shaky nod, the blonde turned back to her ex-boyfriend.

"There's no research, Riley. Walsh took a page out of the Nazi handbook and tried a little experimentation. Her creation is some science fiction monster made out of computer chips, demon parts, and a human form." The Slayer waited until the young man stood in front of her to deliver final blow. "She messed up his programming, though. She's dead, Riley. Her monster killed her."

It was too much. Roaring, Riley charged the smaller blonde. Buffy merely sidestepped, sticking out a foot and sending the Marine to the ground. "While we're having such a long-overdue conversation, let's talk about Willow."

"Yeah. Let's do. When were you going to tell me I'd been replaced by a fucking lesbian?" He scrambled to his feet and dropped into a fighting stance, trying to find an opening.

"Newsflash, Riley. You got replaced all on your own. You and your military mindset need some help." He lashed out with a booted foot, and the Slayer blocked it casually. "Will's worth dozens of you, lesbian or not, lover or not."

Strung out and furious, Riley overestimated his next punch, leaving himself vulnerable. Buffy landed a hard right to his chin and he dropped like a stone.

Eyeing the unconscious Marine, Willow sidled up to Buffy. "Nice job. Umm, how do we get him out of here?"

"We don't," Buffy said shortly. "I'll call and leave a message for Graham. He'll make sure Ry's taken care of." She eyed the flushed witch, feeling her blood race from the fight. "Was Riley, right, Will? Do you have the hots for me?"


	10. Chapter 10

Willow stared at Buffy in confusion. _Did she really ask me that?_ "Hey, um, why don't you go call Graham, and I'll just stay here and watch Riley, 'k?"

"No," the Slayer stated. She moved closer to the young witch, flushed and breathing hard. "I want to know. Do you think I'm hot?" A roughened hand caressed the redhead's cheek. "It's a simple question, Will. Why the avoidance?"

"Because you're freaking me out, that's why." Willow's voice drifted up an octave, but she didn't move away from the blonde. "Wh-why would you even think I'd think about how you look?" She blushed at her stumbling question.

Buffy smiled. "Our conversation earlier got my mind on the subject. After all, if you're OK with Tara lusting after you, maybe you haven't been so straight all this time. And" hazel eyes flicked over the unconscious Marine, "Ry's a military man, but he's not stupid. Did he see something I missed, Will?"

Chewing on her lip, the young witch considered her options. Lying – never good, but it might preserve their friendship. The truth – karma points, but bad for friendship. Willow bounced in place, unable to decide. Finally, the blonde took the choice out of her hands. "Maybe I should find out for myself, huh?" Buffy moved closer until they were pressed together, and brushed her lips gently over her friend's.

The witch jerked in surprise and then threw caution to the winds. Sliding long fingers into Buffy's hair, she drew her in closer and opened her mouth, inviting further exploration. The Slayer's tongue took advantage of the opportunity. The kiss grew less gentle and more heated, interspersed with gasps and moans. Body burning with primal need, Buffy started to stroke her hands down Willow's back until she cupped the jeans-clad ass.

The sound of clapping drove them apart. A slim figure emerged from behind the stage. "Ya' know, I saw all the kiddies running outta the Bronze and thought there might be some major blood sucking going on." Dimples flashed as Faith moved closer. "Didn't know I'd see other types of sucking. Surprised at you, B."

The blonde Slayer took a fast step forward, a growl bursting from her throat. Already keyed up from the fights with Riley and Adam, plus the short make out session with the witch, she was more than ready to take on the other girl. "Don't, Buffy." Willow's voice rang in the empty bar. Green eyes flashed. "Still trying to get a reaction, aren't you, Faith? I'm curious. Did you come in here to stop the vampires? Or did you plan on holding their victims?"

Even in the dim lighting, Slayer and witch saw the younger girl pale. "Glad to know you think so highly of me, Red."

"You expected something more?" Willow was on a roll. "The last time we met, you threatened to kill me. Sorry if I don't trust your motives."

The Dark Slayer walked passed the Scoobies and jumped up to sit on the bar. "So, girls, fill me in. What'd I miss?"

"Not much, really," Buffy said quietly. There was something not right with the other Slayer. Although Faith was trying to close off their bond, enough leaked through for her to sense a little of the teen's feelings.

"Been eight freakin months, Buffy. You telling me the Hellmouth's been quiet?" The words were angry and bitter. "How about the Mayor? I'm sure you and your girl are just itching to give me all the gory details."

Feeling her way, Buffy held up a hand, preventing Willow from divulging the more graphic parts of their fight with the Ascended Mayor. "He Ascended on Graduation Day, just as planned. We fought. He lost."

Faith didn't answer, merely sitting on the bar, swinging her legs.

"Will, can you call Graham for me? I don't want Riley waking up and trying to get all He-Man again." Buffy's eyes never left her sister Slayer.

"Are you sure? I'd be happy to knock her out and tie her up for you." The blonde raised an eyebrow at the venom in the normally friendly voice.

"I'm sure, Will. Faith and I are just going to talk while you're gone." Letting just a hint of threat slip into her tone, she asked, "Right, Faith?"

Although it obviously galled the younger girl, she nodded jerkily. "Right, B. Talking."

Willow looked between the Slayers. The intensity in the room was frightening, and she expected an explosion soon. Still, Buffy usually knew what she was doing. Backing away, the witch headed for the bank of pay phones in the hallway near the bathrooms.

Once Willow was out of range, Buffy moved carefully toward Faith, perching on a bar stool by her knees. "Faith, I don't know what to say…" she trailed off, staring at her hands resting on the scarred wood. "I'm sorry doesn't even scratch the surface."

"What the fuck are you apologizing for?" The usual bite was absent from the husky voice.

A bark of laughter escaped. "Oh, you know, not helping with the Finch thing, treating you like a stone cold killer, stabbing you. Did I leave out anything?"

Unease trickled through the link. "Nah. Those are the highlights." Uneasy silence grew between them. "I keep expecting you to jump me and finish the job." Brown eyes met hazel ones. "Why are we just sitting here?"

"Because I refuse to go back to where we were, Faith. That night on the roof," the blonde felt her counterpart flinch, "I crossed a line I never imagined was there. And," a self-mocking grin appeared, "there's a new Big Bad in town. We could use your help."

"Sounds familiar." No anger, just a hint of bitter. "Don't know, B. Might be best if I just blew out of town."

Buffy absorbed that information. "Don't. Please."

The other girl stared at her in shock. "What the fuck is going on, Buffy? Is this another Slayer dream? Am I still in the hospital, waiting to die?"

"No dreams here." Then, thinking of Adam and the Initiative, "Well, maybe a Hellmouthy nightmare or two."

Willow had been listening to the quiet exchange, having completed her mercy call to the other Marine. "Buffy, Graham's on his way."

Still looking at the confused brunette, Buffy answered, "Thanks, Will. Can you check and see if we're going to be fending off firemen soon? It looks like they're as competent as the police."

"Call me Errand Girl," the redhead quipped, trying to lighten the still tense mood. Her comment fell flat. Sighing, she trudged toward the front door, leaving the two Slayers alone again.

"What's it going to be, Faith? Giles is willing to look for ways to help out. The Council is out of the picture. In fact, they've disowned all of us: you, me, and Giles." She stood up, hand resting on the other Slayer's thigh. "Want to join the Good Guys again? Benefits suck, but it feels good most of the time."

Buffy held her breath until the brunette replied.

"Don't know about joining. I'm not cut out to be a Scooby. But if you need me for the big fight, I'm in."

The blonde grinned up at the younger Slayer, relieved. "To borrow a phrase, wicked cool." Her grin widened when Faith chuckled. "Will, what's the word on the big red trucks?" she called out.

"Nothing yet, but I can hear sirens," the redhead yelled back.

"Damn. We can't let them find Riley, and I want to be long gone before they get here." Buffy scowled at her ex-boyfriend. "Let's go, Will. Faith and I'll carry Ry toward Lowell House. I don't want to make explanations when the firemen finally get here."

The witch trotted back over. "OK. I can do a glamour so we don't draw attention on the way."

"Excellent." The blonde Slayer grabbed the Marine's body under the arms. "Get his feet, will you, Faith?"

Sliding to the floor, the brunette moved slowly into position. Sweat broke out on her face and she grimaced as she lifted Riley's heavy boots. "Faith? What's wrong?" Willow asked. She'd never seen the other girl look so out of it.

"I'm thinking an eight-month nap ain't so good for muscle tone," the brunette quipped. She managed to get Riley settled in her arms. "Let's motor, girls. I don't know how long I can do this." She grunted as they made an awkward trek to the alley entrance. "Man, B, who is this dude and why can't we leave his heavy ass here?"

Buffy blushed. Not looking at either of her companions, she mumbled, "He's my ex-boyfriend."

The Dark Slayer nearly laughed, until she saw how uncomfortable Buffy was. Glancing to the side, she noticed Willow biting her lip and examining her shoes. _Man, these two are priceless. I shoulda just sat back and watched the show. Wonder if either of them would have known what to do?_ "He's kinda beefy for a soldier boy."

The trio plus their cargo staggered into the alley. "Hold up, guys. I need to do the spell," Willow ordered.

"Hurry the fuck up, Red. I'm way below par here." Faith dropped the Marine's legs, leaning against the brick wall and panting.

Nodding in understanding, the redhead held her hands palm up and began chanting. White light surrounded the four of them briefly. "We're set." The young witch was shaking from the effort.

"Will, are you sure it worked? I mean," Buffy didn't really want to accuse her friend of anything, "I can't see any difference."

"You won't. It basically puts a, um…shield around us that tells people's minds to see nothing." She grinned. "Tara showed it to me."

"Whoo fucking hoo," Faith mocked. "We ready? Cause I don't think I'm worth too much more."

Buffy glared at the brunette, but her irritation wasn't with the younger girl. Willow's enthusiastic mention of Tara had her grinding her teeth. She had been the one kissing the redhead just minutes ago. Why was Willow still so gung ho over the other blonde? "Yeah. Come on. We need to get back before Adam finds us or Giles worries himself to death." She waited for Faith to pick up Riley's feet again and they staggered toward campus. It was a nightmare journey. While the downtown area wasn't crowded, they still had to dodge the occasional group of people on their way home from dinner. By the time the little band hit the edge of the UC-Sunnydale campus, Buffy was panting and Riley's legs dragged the ground more often than not.

"Fuck, B, how much farther?" Faith actually looked worse than their cargo. She was grey-green and sweat stood out. Both Buffy and Willow noted the shake in her hands every time she shifted her grip on the Marine.

Buffy stopped. If they pushed any farther, they'd be carrying Faith, too. "We'll wait here. Graham and his group will have to come this way." She motioned for the other Slayer to take a seat. "You don't look so good."

"No, really?" Faith rolled her eyes, leaning against a tree. "I've been flat on my back for almost a year, B. Even Slayer healing's gonna take a while to fix that."

"Why?" Willow commented without thinking. "Wasn't that a normal position for you?" After a pained silence, the witch offered, "I am so sorry, Faith. Totally uncalled for." She looked pleadingly at the tense brunette.

"Put the puppy dog eyes away, Red. It's just a comment." Faith's voice was really raspy, and the witch thought maybe there were tears in her eyes. "While we wait, you want to fill me in on the sitch here? It must be pretty bad if you're willing to let me stay in town."

Buffy started to answer, but paused, head cocked. "Someone's coming." She stood up, ready for a fight. Faith managed to join her, but the blonde figured Willow would be more use in hand to hand combat. Luckily for them all, it was just Graham and a couple of Riley's unit. "Thanks for helping out, Graham. I know things are a little weird for you guys at the moment."

The handsome Marine smiled. "Don't worry about it, really. We were glad to get out for a while." He eyed his superior officer. "He'll be OK?"

"Oh, yeah. He just ran into my fist. Give him a few hours." Buffy smiled, then remembered the information they'd overheard. "You guys know anything about an experiment where they put drugs in your food?" When all three claimed ignorance, she gave them a quick rundown.

"Damn." Graham looked angry. "Maybe it's time to get in touch with some contacts at the Pentagon. This is not part of our orders."


	11. Chapter 11

"I'll get Ry back to base. Then," Graham smiled grimly, "I'll start unraveling the mystery of the drugged food. You girls gonna be OK on your own?" He looked questioningly at Faith.

"We're good, thanks," Buffy answered. The blonde gave her brunette counterpart a warning glare. "Leave a message at the dorms about what you find out on the drugging. Riley was scary aggressive earlier. I'm sure Giles and Will can help track down any side effects or whatever if you need our help."

The young Marine nodded and then he and the other two propped an unconscious Riley against them and began dragging him back toward campus.

Buffy smiled without humor. "OK. One good deed out of the way. Let's get out of here before the Metal Monster shows up and kicks our ass."

They started the long trek back through town, Faith staggering along in obvious distress. "What's the sitch then, B? I mean, you seem to have interesting friends these days, and Red, here, ain't the shy hacker I remember. The girl-lovin' aside, she wouldn't have been able to even make that threat about tying me up, let alone mean it like she did in the Bronze."

Before Buffy had a chance to answer, Willow stepped in. "It's been a very educational year, Faith." Her voice was quiet, but no less firm.

"Do tell, Red," the brunette mocked.

Unwisely, perhaps, given Adam's hunt for the Scoobies, the young witch reached for power and turned cobalt eyes on the second Slayer. "Well, there's this, for starters." A grin appeared when Faith stumbled back a step, brown eyes wide and shocked. The redhead grounded the power and resumed talking, eyes a normal green. "There's a military group in town called the Initiative. They were experimenting on demons and decided it would be fun to build their own Demon Doll. He's on the rampage right now; we're holed up in the Council safe house trying to find a way to beat him."

Buffy watched her oldest friend carefully. Willow was riding high on confidence and magic at the moment. She'd never faced Faith with so much control before. "Yeah, what she said, Faith. Only, she left out the part where Adam – the demon thing – kicked my ass the last time we met."

"Well, ain't never met anything that could beat the two of us together, B," the brunette commented. "Once I'm back to fighting trim, we'll have to take care of the introductions and all." By this time, they'd wandered by the movie theatre for the third time that night. "Man, SunnyD sucks. I mean, I'm outta commission for eight months and the same lame movie's playing. What's up with that?"

"When your population keeps getting killed or disappears, why waste money on something new?" Buffy's gallows humor fell flat.

Giving the senior Slayer a sharp look, Faith mumbled. "Can't save 'em all, B."

No one had a response to that. They completed the trip, each locked into their own private thoughts. Creeping back into the house, Buffy noted the rest of the gang seemed to be in exactly the same places. "Any luck with the hacking?" she asked the group at large.

Tara looked up and smiled. "I'm afraid not. All the computer does is make noise and then weird shapes and letters fill the screen. After a while, the letters go away and new ones pop up."

Willow hurried passed the two Slayers and plopped down in front of the laptop. Peering intently at the information displayed, she frowned. "Damn." Most of her attention focused on the problem of hacking into the Initiative system, she tossed over her shoulder, "Buffy, I'm going to have to hunt up some new algorithms. So far, I haven't made it around the first wave of security. Whoever found my hook last night repaired the damage and beefed this up." She typed rapidly for a minute. "Do you think Graham and his friends might have something that could help?"

"Probably not." Buffy stared at the intent hacker. "Ry was a pretty big name down there and even he couldn't get us anything better than a list of demons in the cells. Think you're on your own this time."

Faith watched the byplay from a position partially hidden in shadows. To say she was uncomfortable being back with the Scoobies ranked as the grossest of understatements. She listened to the conversation without understanding it, eyes restlessly scanning the room. Giles slouched uncharacteristically in an armchair, watching the three teens crowded around the computer. He hadn't noticed her entrance yet.

Joyce, however, was very aware of her presence. Brown eyes met hazel and then skittered away. She stiffened, trying to hide the unease and unaccustomed shyness that sprang up every time she met the elder Summers. Swallowing hard, the brunette took a half step back, hoping to disappear even more. Her run of bad luck continued. Joyce made a quiet comment to her daughter's Watcher and wandered into the shadowed kitchen.

"Hello, Faith. I'm glad you're back on your feet." The older woman leaned against a scarred and stained counter.

Stuffing her hands in her pockets, Faith hunched her shoulders. "Thanks." It wasn't much, but it was the best she could do. After her actions with the Mayor, she certainly didn't expect a hug and chocolate chip cookies from Buffy's mom.

Amusement sparked the warm hazel eyes. "Sweetie, Rupert and I won't bite. Come in and sit down." Tilting her head slightly, Mrs. Summers frowned. "You look so thin. Xander and I grabbed some supplies while Buffy and Willow went…um, looking for you. Would you like something to eat?"

Faith would have refused, but her stomach made the decision for her. Growling emanated throughout the dark kitchen. With a defeated sigh, the younger Slayer muttered, "Yeah. Whatever ya' got's fine." She shied away when a hand dropped to her shoulder.

"I'll see what I can throw together. Sit down, Faith. It's going to be a long night, I'm sure." The older woman brushed passed the teen, flicking on the range light before rustling through boxes and bags lining the counters.

Biting her lip, Faith slunk into the living room and took a seat on the couch. "Hey, G-man. Been a while."

"Indeed," came the cool reply. "Buffy hasn't explained your presence here. Perhaps you could fill us in?"

Rubbing damp palms on her borrowed jeans, the junior Slayer shrugged. "Met the girls in the Bronze after B cold cocked her ex. Got to talking and she asked me to maybe stick around and help out with this Adam dude."

Buffy had been listening to the conversation. "Faith's a bit banged up, Giles. Can you take a look? I'm thinking it's just the coma and all, but…I don't trust the Council not to have 'helped' with her recovery."

Her Watcher's eyebrows rose sharply behind his glasses. "Good Lord. You don't think…?"

Shrugging, Buffy faced him. "I don't know. It's right up their alley. And, she was looking really bad earlier." Eyeing the younger girl, she allowed, "She's seems OK, now, but we need to be sure."

Faith bristled at the talk going on around her. "Hey, B. What the fuck? Earlier, I thought you wanted my help. Maybe even wanted to do some bonding and shit. Sounds more like you just want to keep an eye on me in case the Council goons got me on the payroll."

"No, Faith, sorry." The blonde sounded apologetic. "Just, things rarely go smoothly and all of a sudden I started worrying you might be drugged or something."

The two stared at each other tensely until a new voice broke the standoff. "If y-you don't mi-mind, I can take a look."

"Tara?" Buffy asked in confusion.

A crooked smile tilted the older witch's lips. "My mother taught me a little of the healing Craft." Blue eyes met Faith's shyly. "But I won't do anything if you aren't comfortable with it."

Not sure who the new Scooby was, the brunette hesitated. However, when it came down to it, having the young blonde poking at her instead of Giles made the choice easier. "Whatever, Blondie. Got to admit I ain't happy thinking the Council's fucking with my head."

"Faith! Language!" Mrs. Summers came in, carrying a plate piled high with sandwiches and chips.

Rolling her eyes, Faith grabbed the food with a mumbled thanks and dug in. Despite the hunger twisting her insides, she found her appetite on the small side. "Sorry, Mrs. S. It was good and everything, just can't seem to finish." She realized everyone was staring at her. "What? Did I drop something on my shirt?"

Tara giggled. "No, sweetie, but Willow's complained about Buffy's appetite before. I think we're all a little confused."

Putting the plate down on floor at her feet, Faith nodded. "Yeah, after so long on just liquids, I figured I'd be an eating machine." She bit her lip, hesitating. "You think the Council did something, don't you?"

The blonde didn't answer. After an uncomfortable silence, Giles spoke. "I would put nothing past Quentin, my dears." He rubbed a hand over the back of his head. "Although it has not been apparent in their dealing in Sunnydale, the Council itself has never been about covert operations."

"Can we maybe just find out before we go all revenge-y on them?" The brunette Slayer's husky voice was made even rougher by exhaustion. "I'm all for kicking some uptight ass, but I ain't feeling so good." She waved a hand toward the hallway leading to the first floor bedrooms. "You wanna take this someplace else and get started, Blondie?"

Tara blushed at the innuendo-laden tone. Faith's aura showed only the faintest hint of sexual interest, but the voice…Shaking her head and stuttering more than normal, she said, "I c-c-can take a lo-look ri-right here."

"Um, don't you need to look at the knife wound or something?" Faith wanted to know.

Blue eyes snapped wide open. "Oh! No, I'm not a doctor or anything." A fiery blush stained the witch's face. "I can check your aura and look for any foreign substance in your blood."

Four sets of eyes looked at her in confusion.

"Oh, you don't know about auras?" Tara bit her lip.

Finally leaving her hunched position behind the computer, Willow wandered over. "I'm pretty much all the magic we have, Tara. Not so good with the auras and healing stuff. I seem to specialize in the blowing up of things."

"We're working on it, remember?" The blonde witch smiled sweetly at the redhead, and Buffy discovered she really didn't like it. Teeth grinding together, the blonde Slayer glared at the other girl. Tara was still smiling when she turned to Faith, but stopped at the molten hazel glare. "Buffy?"

"Concentrate on Faith, Tara. Just Faith."

"OK. Sure." The blonde witch gave the older Slayer a wide berth as she moved closer to the couch. "Just relax, Faith. You don't have to do anything for this to work." She frowned, catching the younger girl's unease. "Reading auras is a little invasive, sweetie, but it won't hurt or anything. I can look at you – or anyone – and get a surface image of what they are feeling. Imagine being surrounded by a colored shield. The color tells me what you are feeling. There's no way to hide it or disguise it."

The brunette looked back at her, face expressionless. "Go for it, Blondie."

Tara nodded. "That's the surface only, Faith. In order to check for drugs or magical tampering, I need to look farther. Not just how you feel now, but emotions you've hidden from everyone – even yourself."

No one missed Faith's flinch at that information. "Well, it's get in touch with my softer side or let the Council dope me up. Can't say I like the options, but you're a hell of a lot better than the Good Squad." Leaning back on the couch and closing her eyes, the brunette invited, "Do what you need to do, Blondie."


	12. Chapter 12

Faith felt warmth flow over her arm where Tara's hand had been. Peering through her lashes, she watched the witch slowly drag her hand up her body. Everywhere she moved it, the warmth touched. It felt good, and Faith shivered. The silence in the room pulled at her, and she drifted, letting the peaceful feelings put her into a trance-like state. The room and the staring Scoobies faded away.

Tara waited until Faith drifted off before sending her energies deeper into the Slayer's aura. The top layer didn't show anything out of the ordinary. The brunette was tired, confused, and very scared, but given the information she'd gleaned from Willow in recent weeks, those didn't clash with Faith's background. Sinking deeper into Faith's aura, Tara bit her lip. The emotions here were far darker. A dozen shades of black rippled in front of her inner sight. Despair, rage, bitterness. They pushed at the witch, trying to overwhelm her. Maintaining her own emotional stability was a struggle, but Tara kept going. Finally, buried under the layers of Dark Slayer-ness, the blonde reached Faith's emotional center. Crystalline tears of grief flowing from her astral eyes, Tara embraced the rainbow of shifting colors, hunting for external tampering. As she coasted down the Slayer's energy channels, the witch noticed pockets of atrophy and scarring. Faith was badly damaged and weakened, but there were no overt signs of outside influence. If the problems Faith had experience were normal, physical ones, Tara could perhaps alleviate some of the symptoms.

She withdrew enough to regain regular sight. Blinking her eyes, she looked for Willow. "I need your help," she told the other witch. "I don't think Faith was drugged. All I can find are the normal, expected problems of an eight-month coma. If you link with me, we can repair some of the internal injuries."

"Hey, I don't know…" The redhead hesitated. "Are you sure? I mean, I'm all for having another person to help with Adam, but this is Faith. I've told you about her. She-"

"I won't argue the point, Willow." Tara's regarded her friend sadly. "However, I'm telling you she is not a threat. Certainly not in her current condition, and I don't think that will change once she's back on her feet. Please."

Biting her lip, Willow looked at the three other people gathered around. "Guys? What do you think?"

Buffy was the first to answer. "I can't read auras, Will. But there is a bond between me and Faith. She felt wrong, somehow. Not the scary, I want to kill you stuff I got when she was working for the Mayor. If there isn't a big reason not to, I say do it."

"Indeed. Although I am loathe to perhaps create a second adversary, we could use Faith's assistance with Adam." Giles regard them seriously. "If she has, in fact, returned to her Calling, we must help her."

Joyce frowned. "I can't believe we are even talking about this. She's just a girl. The last time I checked, the Scoobies were all about helping people." She stood and moved toward the kitchen. "For God's sake, Buffy, look at her." Joyce pointed at the pale, emaciated brunette.

"Oookay, then. That's three yes votes," Willow mumbled. "What do you need me to do, Tara?"

Smiling crookedly, the older witch said, "Just let me borrow some of your energy. You aren't familiar with healing, yet, so I can't actively use you to help me repair the damage. Link with me and slowly feed me power from your reservoir."

The redhead nodded and got comfortable on the floor, leaning against the couch. Seconds later, Tara felt an invisible hand touch hers, an energy conduit opening at the same time. With a silent thanks, she returned to Faith. Concentrating on the largest wounds and scars, the blonde witch used focused bursts of energy to clear the blocked channels and prod the Slayer's enhanced healing abilities. By the time she finished, Tara was shaking with effort. As she left the brunette's aura, the blonde left a final suggestion in Faith's mind, urging a deep, healing sleep. Back in her own body completely, Tara gently broke her link with Willow and sagged.

"I did what I could," she said. Sinking onto the couch next to Faith, she continued, "There was too much to fix in once attempt. And, she really needs someone with more medical knowledge. I helped get the Slayer healing back on line and added some energy to her reserves, but she needs a lot more."

Buffy placed a hand on her shoulder. "You did good, Tara. We heal pretty fast when everything's normal. Faith should be much better in the morning." The blonde Slayer watched her younger counterpart sleep. "Will she be out long?"

"Probably most of tomorrow," Tara answered.

"OK. Giles, is one of the bedrooms useable?" Buffy asked her Watcher.

He nodded and stood up. "Even though we have renegade status here in Sunnydale, the Council has kept this house in workable condition."

"Lead the way, then." Buffy slipped one arm behind Faith's back and another under her knees. Grunting with the effort, she picked the brunette up and followed Giles down the hall. The older man opened the second door on the left, revealing a room lavishly decorated and containing a King-sized bed. "Let me guess, this is where your friend Travers stays when he's in town? Get the covers, will you?" Once the bed had been turned down, she placed her bundle down gently and pulled the blankets into place.

Back in the living room, Buffy dropped onto the couch with a loud sigh. "Any luck, Will?"

"Not yet. This is more complicated than I expected." Willow's green eyes glared at her laptop. "I don't know, Buff. I may not be able get the information." She sounded frustrated. "I think it must be Adam doing the security now. There's nothing to grab onto."

Sitting forward and resting her hands on her knees, Buffy glanced around the room. "If the computer's no help, where do we go from here?"

"I could check the magical texts for a way to shut Adam down," Giles offered.

"Didn't Tara and Willow already try that?" the Slayer wasn't good with the magic work. Pushing off the couch, she wandered over to peer at Willow's computer. "Hey, Will, is that still on autopilot?"

The redhead kept typing and didn't look up. "Mostly, but I'm trying to find a backdoor to the system." When Buffy didn't respond or move away, she leaned back, staring into clouded hazel eyes. "What's up, Buffy? You're like Freak Out Girl all of a sudden. Are you sorry we helped Faith?"

A blush stole up the narrow face. "No. No, of course, not. Um, I just…could we maybe find somewhere to talk?"

Sensing there was more than just Adam or Faith on the Slayer's mind, Willow nodded. "Sure, Buff." She typed a few commands into the computer and set it on the floor. "Back room or outside?"

Biting her lip and bouncing on her toes, Buffy considered. "This place has a back porch. We can sit there?"

"OK." Willow smiled slightly. She'd never seen her friend quite this wired. "Maybe we should have had Tara check you out. Are you sure you feel alright?"

"Nah, I'm good." Buffy flashed her teeth in a patently false smile. She took Willow's hand and pulled her rapidly out of the house. Once they were both standing on the tiny covered porch, staring into the darkened yard, the Slayer didn't seem to know how to continue.

Watching her closely, Willow bumped her shoulder, "Hey, Buffy? If you want to talk about something, you actually have to open your mouth. Cause, you know, witch here! But I can't read minds." She pulled the suddenly reluctant blonde around to face her, keeping a firm grip on both small hands. "You want me to tell you what I think, Buffy? There's really only one thing we could be here about if it isn't work related."

Buffy couldn't move. Green eyes bored into her.

Smiling gently, the redhead continued quietly. "I don't know what happened tonight. We've been best friends for three years. Is there something you want to tell me?" She swallowed audibly. "We can forget it ever happened, if that's what you want. I won't mention it again. Or," she looked away for a second, "we could see if there's more to us than just best friends."

"Will, I don't…" Buffy looked at their joined hands. "Before tonight, I thought there was no way this would ever happen. I mean you were straight. And, for the most part, so was I."

"So, when did you become not so straight?"

"The feelings have always been there, Will." The Slayer pulled them farther into the shadows and leaned against the wooden railing. "It was just way easier to ignore them because life was hard enough without adding a bisexual label to the mix." She grimaced. "And, can I just say how freaky this conversation is?"

The redhead giggled. "Come on. Is it any worse than talking about the Bug Guy, or stabbing Angel, or figuring out how to sneak you out of the house without your mom knowing? Face it, Buffy. Our lives would make a great TV show."

"Yeah, right, like anyone would watch us kill demons every week." Buffy moved a little closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "I'd like to see if there's more, Will."

"Sweetie, of course there's more." A tiny smirk flitted across the freckled face. "Unless you want to tell me the kiss earlier was only the hornies taking over?"

Relief coursing through her at the gentle teasing, Buffy laughed and picked Willow up, spinning them around. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She stopped spinning, but continued to hold the taller girl off the ground. "I'm sorry it took Riley and his narrow mind to get me to tell you."

"I'm not sorry, Buffy." Willow squeezed the muscled shoulders under her fingers. "Now, put me down. I'd like to see if that kiss earlier was skill or just the thrill of the fight. After all, Faith's down for the count. We shouldn't have an audience this time."

"Mmm, good point." Smiling in anticipation, Buffy lowered Willow to the ground and leaned in. The kiss was slower this time. The witch had been partially right. The thrill of the fight had been riding the Slayer hard. Loving the feel of the soft lips on hers, the blonde wrapped one arm around Willow's narrow waist, pulling her flush against her body. Gently slipping her tongue past the redhead's lips, she stroked inside Willow's mouth, dueling gently. Needing a breather, she finally put a little distance between them, letting her cheek rest against Willow's shoulder. "That was so much more than wow, Will. Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

The answer, when it came, wasn't from her best friend. "G-guys, Mr. Giles said you ne-needed to c-come inside." Tara stood just outside the doorway, tears shining brightly in the moonlight. "Adam just made the news." She slipped quickly back inside, not waiting for acknowledgement.


	13. Chapter 13

Slayer and witch broke apart, staring after the fleeing girl. "Damn it. Why is there always something keeping us apart?" Buffy growled. Willow didn't respond, remaining frozen. "Will? Hey, what's the matter?"

Shaking her head slightly, the redhead tore her eyes away from the back door. "Did you see her? Oh, Goddess. We…I just hurt her so much. I didn't want to hurt her, Buffy. I didn't," she babbled. Tears streaked the freckled cheeks.

Buffy pulled Willow into her arms, stroking warm hands up and down her back. Although a part of her was secretly doing a victory dance, she could tell the girl in her arms was devastated. "No matter what, somebody's gonna get hurt," she muttered. _Thank God it's not me. _When Willow stiffened even more, the Slayer rushed on, "But, the important thing is, you, um, we just have to be honest." She pulled back, watching Willow for reactions. "If we don't, it'll just be a whole lot worse."

Willow looked incredibly sad. "Yeah. I just hope we have time to talk to her, Buff. I mean, with Adam and all…" she trailed off.

"Speaking of Adam, Wills, we need to get inside." Buffy took Willow by the hand, leading her toward the house. Before they rejoined the gang, the Slayer said firmly, "We'll tell everyone together, how's that? We get rid of Adam, make sure Faith isn't going to go evil again, and we have a Scooby meeting." She bit her lip. "I know I haven't been big with the sharing lately. OK, maybe not ever, but this isn't something I want to hide or lie about, Will."

Willow nodded. "No hiding. But I don't think this is the time for our big coming out party. Let's get in there and find out what big and creepy's up to now. Maybe the computer found something or Giles located a spell." She kissed Buffy quickly and then pulled away completely, smoothing her rumpled clothing. "Back to business, Slayer."

"Business, oh joy," Buffy bitched, following Willow inside. _Some days, I so hate this job_.

The scene inside was tense. A small TV played in the living room while Giles and Joyce huddled close to the screen.

"Mom, Giles, what's up?" Buffy asked. Her Slayer hearing picked that moment to kick in and she stopped abruptly. "Oh, God, tell me he really didn't kill a little kid?" She felt sick, stomach roiling as the newscaster cheerfully continued.

"What?" Willow said. She hurried across the room, dropping to sit between Giles and Mrs. Summers, peering at the images on the TV. A grainy shot of Adam, staring directly into the camera, appeared. In his arms was the remains of a child, head blurred out to protect at least some privacy.

Numbly, the Slayer staggered into the room and dropped onto the couch. Closing her eyes against the terrible sight, Buffy listened to the news bulletin.

"…in Sunnydale. The town is known for its high crime rate and missing person's reports, but this is even stranger than usual. A family traveling through the small town videotaped what was at first believed to be a scene of a movie reportedly being filmed in the area. However, the unidentified man shown in the video left the body seen in his arms just outside a church. The body…"

"Turn it off," Buffy ordered flatly. Rage pounded behind her eyes, and she clenched her fists to keep from lashing out at anyone, anything nearby. "Where's Tara?"

Sounding the least bit hesitant, perhaps sensing the emotions his charge was barely controlling, Giles answered, "She's in one of the bedrooms, resting."

Opening her eyes, Buffy glared at her Watcher. "Get her up. Have her undo the sleep spell on Faith. It's time to stop hiding." A cold smile twisted her lips. "We're going hunting."

"Buffy, I don't think-" Giles began until a warm hand lightly touched his arm. He looked down at Willow.

"Go ahead, Giles. We'll need the others to help." The redhead smiled at him and then turned to Joyce. "Mrs. Summers, could you fix us all something to eat and give Xan a call? We're going to need him and Anya, too." The two adults did as ordered, leaving Buffy and Willow alone.

"I'm not changing my mind," Buffy declared, arms crossed.

Willow simply nodded, gazing at her friend. "So, we just storm the Initiative base? Go in with magic blazing and you and Faith kicking Marine ass till we find Adam?" She kept her voice level with an effort.

Frowning, Buffy nodded. "Sounds about right. He killed someone, Wills. Not just any someone, but a little boy, and he's _taunting_ us with it." Her voice rose as she spoke.

"I get that, sweetie, but we kinda need a plan." Willow moved slowly over and knelt in front of Buffy. "You aren't responsible for that boy, Buffy. Dr. Walsh, the Initiative, the Government – _they_ built Adam." She stroked the pale face above her. "If we go in like you want, we'll lose."

Leaning forward, the Slayer pressed her lips to Willow's hands. "I can't let him go on a killing spree. We have to find a way to stop him. If we hadn't been holed up here…"

Smiling gently, Willow caressed narrow fingers over Buffy's face. "If we hadn't been here, it might have been you he killed, Buffy. We can't think like that. We're the Scoobies. We research, we plan, and then we execute. It's kept us alive, with one very notable exception, for almost three years. You don't just change that kind of pattern on a whim, sweetie." She pulled away. "What's really wrong, Buffy? You haven't been yourself since last night in the Bronze. I mean, first you're all over Riley and Ms. Gung Ho Marine Recruit and the next time I see you, it's war with the Initiative."

"Was I supposed to let Walsh kill me?" Buffy was incredulous.

"No!" The two squared off. "But you aren't yourself. I've never seen you this aggressive. What the hell are you thinking? Run off and fight Adam with no plan? We didn't even phase him tonight."

"I'm thinking I want to get rid of him."

Willow threw her hands in the air. "How? How do we do that, Buffy? I have nothing from the computer. Adam laughed at my magic and he traced Tara. She's not an amateur like me. She's way strong. You tell me how we beat him, and I'll back you a hundred percent."

"B?" Faith's groggy voice interrupted from the hallway. "We got trouble?"

Tearing her eyes away from the quietly determined Willow, Buffy looked at her sister Slayer. "Yeah, Faith. Big trouble." She got up and helped Faith to the couch. "Sorry you didn't get to sleep. I…I don't think I'm up for this on my own, you know?"

Still looking pale and wan, Faith nodded. "Gotcha, B. I'm feeling better. Blondie musta got the Slayer healing on line, 'cause I can tell I'm not aching as much."

Buffy nodded, watching as Giles and Tara reentered the room. Giles sat across the small room in the armchair while the blonde witch took a position on the floor near his feet.

"OK," Buffy began, voice quiet but intense, "Adam's crossed the line. Mom and Giles caught a new report. He killed a little boy and he let himself get photographed."

"Nice. Did he sign autographs, too?" Faith inquired. She pushed herself into a more upright position. "You got a plan, B?"

Smiling tightly, the blonde Slayer nodded. "I do. It doesn't have the Wills stamp of approval, though. We need answers, quick. We need to take him out before he has a chance to do anything worse than this murder."

"Wh-what did you have in mind?" Tara asked quietly. She sat hunched forward, long hair obscuring her face.

Willow answered for Buffy. "Oh, you know, storming the castle, taking no prisoners." She waved at her computer. "I've got a small hook into the system. So far, it hasn't let me access more than some redundant backup programming, but I think I can use it for a backdoor."

Four sets of eyes stared at her.

"Oookay. I'm sensing some confusion," Willow mumbled, thinking hard. "I got into the system, but I can only get to pretty useless places. Maybe there's a way to use that to build a path into the main program. Does that help?"

The eyes looked a little clearer, but no one jumped in to reassure her.

"Fine! It's helping, but we need more," she grumbled. "Giles, Tara, any magical solutions?

The ex-Watcher cleared his throat. "I'm afraid without more information on Adam's construction, the risk is simply too great."

Buffy sprang off the couch and crossed the room. "What risk? The risk that that bastard kills again?"

"Buffy!" Willow was shocked at the Slayer's intensity.

"Hey, before you two throw down or whatever, can we get some info on why this Adam thing let himself get caught on film?" Faith's eyes were half closed, but she watched the scene in front of her closely. "I mean, I don't know the whole story, but we met with those soldier boys and I thought the dude was super secret. If he's been hiding out for so long, why the big show?"

Buffy looked lost. "I don't…what do you mean?"

Shaking her head in disbelief, Faith explained, "Come on, B. Use your head. The Tin Man's got a great setup. No one knows where he is or how to stop him. I mean SunnyD folks are real good at ignoring the weird and the fangy. It's like he went out of his way to find this guy with a camera. If he's on a killing binge, why not kill the cameraman, too?"

"Bloody hell." Giles whipped off his glasses and rubbed tired eyes. "That makes far too much sense."

Willow looked up from her laptop. "Yeah, but now I'm kinda wondering, too. Why?" She typed some commands on the keyboard. "What does Adam have to gain by going public?"

"Dinner's on if anyone's interested," Joyce said quietly. She'd heard the last part of the conversation, and watched the Scoobies mull over their problems. "Xander and Anya are on the way. He said to tell you he'd be careful and make sure they weren't followed."

"Sorry, B, but with the new healing and all, I could eat a horse. Can we take a break or talk in the kitchen?" Faith asked. She pushed off the couch, standing straighter than before. "I'm on my way, Mrs. S. Think this time I might be able to do some damage." She grinned at the older woman.

"Wonderful. I can't wait to sneak back out and try to get groceries with a lunatic on the loose," Joyce said dryly. Then she smiled, "There are sandwiches and chips on the counter. Not very exciting, but it should keep you from starving."

Faith's slow progress toward the kitchen heralded a change in venue. All the Scoobies trooped into the dark room. A single oil lamp illuminated the impressive stack of sandwiches and bags of chips.

Once everyone had munchies, Buffy started up again, though the edge had dropped from her voice. "Alright, if we don't go in the front, guns blazing, how do we take Adam out?"

"Do we even know where he's holed up?" Faith asked around a mouthful of food.

Flushing brightly, Buffy shook her head.

Swallowing, Faith said, "Then it ain't real important how we beat the Tin Man. First we gotta find him."

"I can do that," Tara offered. When everyone looked at her, she dropped her eyes. "He's already experienced my power signature. We can recreate the spell from last night to try and locate him. Once he's locked onto me, actively searching, we can lead him where we want him."


	14. Chapter 14

Buffy watched the gang closely after Tara's announcement. She bounced in place with excess energy, and struggled to keep from simply storming out and getting down to business. As her hazel eyes swept the room, she frowned. Willow was gazing raptly at Tara.

The Slayer noted that Tara was pale, but resolute, when Willow commented, "I'm not sure that's a good idea, either."

"It is risky, my dear." Giles cleaned up the remains of his dinner. "However, it does give us more chances to create a favorable climate. Before we try anything, however, we need to decide exactly what we can do when Adam does arrive. If I understood Buffy correctly, he is a powerful magic user and a fearsome fighter. Are we quite sure even a pair of Slayers will be enough?"

"B? You met this thing. Can we take him?" Faith asked.

Buffy dragged her eyes away from Willow and Tara. Rage simmered just below the surface. No way was Tara going to get between her and Willow. She'd…

"Yo, Earth to Buffy. You with us, or what?" Faith asked sarcastically.

Agitated, Buffy snapped. "I wasn't ready for Adam then. He took me by surprise. This time we'll hit hard and fast. Nothing's ever beaten the Chosen Two."

"And what all do we got?" Faith twirled on the tall bar stool at the counter. "You and me, the Chosen Two. Red and Blondie with the magic, but I ain't got a clue what that means. Red's spells were kinda less than great last time I was around. What can this Adam do? Turn us all into frogs? Or just toast us?"

Only Tara seemed to have an answer to that, and Buffy glared at the blonde witch. "No frogs." She smiled crookedly. "But the cooking? Probably. When he was tracking me, I felt a lot of energy." Tucking her hair behind her right ear, she continued, "Most demons aren't actual witches. They use power instinctively or it is a part of their being. I think Adam's different. I think he has both types of power, and that makes any magical or mundane attack hard."

Tara's voice grated. _Why can't she just shut up already?_ Buffy jumped up and stalked back and forth in the small space. "So, you're saying we just keep sitting here?" Her voice echoed through the kitchen.

"Whoa, Buff, you wanna power down a little?" Xander asked. "I think Tara was just trying to make sure we had all the information."

"I'm tired of just talking, Xan," Buffy spit out. "When do we get to the doing part?" She took a few quick steps until she stood right in front of the young man. "You just want to sit here, listening to them talk?" Buffy shoved Xander back against the counter. "What good are those soldier memories of yours anyway?"

"Buffy!" Joyce shouted. "That's enough. What is _wrong_ with you?" She examined her daughter closely, but in the dim lighting, couldn't see much. "Sit down so we can find a way to deal with this."

At the rebuke, a rumbling sound tore from Buffy's throat and she spun to face her mother. "No more talking," she snarled. The Slayer was actually shaking from the emotions pouring through her.

The room froze.

Finally, Faith slid slowly off the stool, hands held away from her body. "Hey, B? You been spending a lot of time with them soldier boys?" As she talked, the brunette continued to move carefully toward Buffy. "'Cause I'm thinking maybe you got some of that spiked punch meant for your boy toy."

"I'm fine!" Buffy's eyes were dilated. "I'm just tired of all the talking. That's all we do. We sit and talk and the bad guys go on killing."

Faith didn't really have an answer to that. She understood the guilt spewing from Buffy. "How many's he gonna kill if we're dead, B? We don't have enough information to go after this thing. I mean, give the girls a little more time, and then I'll be right there with you when you kick the Tin Man's ass."

"I'm not waiting anymore. Get out of my way!" Buffy moved so fast, Faith never stood a chance. The smaller girl grabbed the brunette Slayer, tossing her effortlessly across the kitchen. Bits of plaster exploded from the wall where Faith's body dented the structure.

Barely stifling a moan, Faith staggered away from the wall and latched on to Buffy's arm. "Can't let you go out there, B. Not like this."

Buffy turned sharply, leveling a wild right at Faith. The brunette Slayer ducked, then stood quickly. She pushed Buffy forward, driving the counter of the island into the smaller girl's stomach, doubling her over. While Buffy fought to get her feet on the ground and regain some leverage, Faith seized her right wrist, yanking it back and up, lifting until the small hand rested between narrow shoulder blades. "Enough, B," the brunette panted. "I don't want to break your arm, but I will if you don't stop fighting me."

The blonde Slayer gave once last, furious tug at her arm and lay there, quietly seething.

"Blondie, I think B here needs some of that aura stuff you did to me." Faith didn't dare look away from Buffy. The blonde Slayer radiated cage violence.

"I don't kn-know if I can, Faith," Tara stuttered. "You gave me permission to get past your shields. If I try with Buffy, it could hurt her."

Joyce frowned. "I think it's a risk we need to take. Faith can't hold Buffy all night. And, what happens if she gets out of the house?" She looked at Giles. "Could she actually hurt a human like this?"

"Well…" he hesitated.

"Guys," Faith's voice was strained. "Less talk, more action. B got that part right. You talk way the fuck too much. I can't do this much longer."

"Tara," Willow said in an urgent voice, "can you show me how to get into Buffy's aura?"

Eyes shadowed, Tara nodded. "You think she'll let you in?" They danced delicately around the scene on the porch.

"It's worth a try." Willow held out her hand to the blonde witch. "If nothing else, I'll take you in with me. Buffy won't hurt me."

Taking Willow's hand, Tara closed her eyes and bridged her power with the redhead's _OK,_ she said through the link, _you have to let your energy flow through the cracks in her shielding. Once you are inside, pull the energy together and build your astral body. All you need to do from there is look for anything foreign. It will be almost neon and it will feel off, dirty._ Tara watched as Willow tried to follow the instructions.

Brow furrowed in concentration, Willow dispersed her energy in a thin blanket, resting it gently over Buffy's shields. They hardened at her touch, trying to push her away. Thinning the power blanket even more helped some. Willow began to see faint cracks in the translucent shield and let her magic seep into the minute holes. When the first drop of power entered Buffy's shield, Willow heard her friend moan and saw her surge against Faith. She could sense the Slayer's pain as Willow's energy invaded her aura.

Tara's voice sounded gently in her head, whispering instructions and helping her regain her emotional balance. _If you find a drug or external tampering, flush it. Use your energy to clean the channels._

Willow tried to nod her head and then remembered she had no form at this point. Trying again internally she answered, _Got it. Can you monitor my progress once I'm inside the shield? She's fighting me. I don't want to hurt her, Tara._

_No. I don't think Buffy will let me in at all. _Sadness intertwined with the thought. _She sees me as a rival._

There was no way to respond to the truth in Tara's statement. _OK. I'll do my best_. Willow turned her attention back to her progress on circumventing the shield. She was halfway there, and the urge to push forward, to force more speed was nearly overwhelming, but she didn't want to hurt Buffy more by damaging her shield. Grinding her mental teeth, Willow waited. After what seemed an eternity, the last of her essence drained through the cracks. She wasted no time drawing the pooled energy into an astral body and peering around.

Buffy's aura was wild. Colors fluoresced and altered rapidly, creating a kaleidoscope effect. Something was definitely wrong. Running through the brightly colored landscape, Willow searched for the source of the trouble. A flash of bright orange caught her eye. She changed course and hurried in that direction.

Tara had been right. The almost-angry orange flare felt wrong and it pulsed and flared at odd intervals. As she watched, Willow noticed that each time the orange energy brightened, parts of Buffy's aura were drawn toward it. Where they touched, the Slayer's normal emotions were altered. When the foreign substance ebbed, those emotions were released, now the shimmering red of rage.

Willow panicked at the sight. She wasn't used to expending this much energy. She was weakening too fast, but she had to try moving whatever was affecting Buffy.

She reached back through her link with her physical body, releasing more energy and blasting at the orange mass, forcing it back along the Slayer's channels. It was exhausting work. Finally, shaking with effort and feeling her astral form ebbing, Willow saw Buffy's energy paths running clear. No orange anywhere. With a tired sigh, the witch released her ephemeral form and fled back to her body.

The tableau in the kitchen hadn't changed. Faith still clung to Buffy while the Scoobies watched anxiously. Dragging her eyes open, Willow mumbled, "Any change?"

"Huh? Hell, Red, you were only gone a couple of minutes." Faith sounded as tired as Willow felt.

"She should be fine." Willow moved closer on leaden feet. "Buffy? Hey, you still with us?"

Buffy shook her head slightly. When she replied, her voice was faint and slurred with fatigue. "Tired, and I hurt. What the hell did Faith hit me with? My head is killing me."

With a snort, Faith let go of her sister Slayer's arm and stepped back. "Think you might wanna take a look at the wall there, B. You got a headache? My whole body hurts after the flying lesson you gave me."

Standing with difficulty, Buffy asked, "What?" Hazel eyes stared at Faith in confusion.

"Buffy?" Everyone looked at Tara. "Sweetie, what's the last thing you remember?"

Wrapping her arms around her stomach, the blonde Slayer shrugged slightly. "The thing with Ry at the Bronze." She frowned. "Things are kinda dreamlike after that. I mean, I remember bits and pieces of things. Did you heal Faith?" She ran a shaking hand through her hair.

"Do you remember coming in from outside and watching the news?" Only Buffy seemed to notice the choked quality to Willow's voice.

"Will? What's going on? Why the big questions?" She pushed away from the counter, taking an unsteady step toward the witch. Willow didn't answer and Buffy grabbed the counter to stay upright. Blinking owlishly, she wiggled her shoulder. "And, what's the what with Faith trying to rip my shoulder off?"

Giles cleared his throat when Willow seemed unable to answer. "We believe you ingested some of the drug the Initiative was using on Riley's men."

"You were acting like Riley at the Bronze. All 'grrr,' and," Willow's voice cracked, "and stuff." She raised tear-filled eyes to Buffy. "I cleared it out of your system, though. You should be back to regular Buffy now."

"Oh." She looked with wide eyes at the hole in the kitchen wall. "I guess…um…"

Grinning, Faith slapped Buffy on the shoulder. "We're cool, B. Just don't be making any smart remarks about the Dark Slayer. 'Cause I think you just borrowed that title yourself tonight."

"Yeah, OK." Buffy was still vague and unsure. "Maybe you guys could fill me in on what I missed after I pass out for a while? I'm really not all with the here and now."

Stepping forward, Willow took Buffy's hand and pulled her toward the living room. "I'll get her settled in one of the rooms, and then we can keep planning." Fighting to keep her fear in check, the witch guided the blonde into one of the rooms. "Here you go, Buff. You can sleep for a while." She flashed a forced smile. "I'll come get you later, OK?"

"Will?" Buffy's voice stopped Willow in her tracks. "Did I do something earlier?" She gently put a hand on the taller girl's stiff shoulder.

"You don't remember?"

"Remember what, Will?" Buffy tried to keep from panicking. "What did I do?"

"You didn't," the young witch replied. "_We_ did…we did this." Willow pressed her lips to Buffy's quickly, fiercely, before running from the room.


	15. Chapter 15

Shaky hand pressed to her lips, Buffy stared wide-eyed as Willow ran from the room. The sharp report of the closing door jerked her back to awareness. Moving automatically to the bed and climbing under the comforter, Buffy didn't know what to think. Her mind whirled with images she doubted were real. Lips and body tingling from the kiss, she tossed and turned, trying to reconcile what she knew about her best friend and the unexpected emotions flooding her mind. Finally, though, her body simply gave in to its need for rest, and she drifted to sleep…

… "Hey! I didn't think you'd come," Willow grinned, showing all her teeth. "I saved you a seat."

Buffy dropped into the chair with a tired sigh. "Thanks. I don't think I ever remember the Bronze being so crowded before. What's going on? Some big frat thing?"

A small hand smacked her on the arm. "No, Buff. When did you get so Forgetful Buffy? I mean, we just talked about this an hour ago." Worried green eyes peered at her. "You didn't run in to any vamps on the way here, did you?"

Frowning, Buffy tried to remember. "Um, not that I know of." She waited a couple of minutes, examining the crowd. "I really don't know why we're here, Will."

"The Dingoes are back in town." Willow spoke slowly, exaggerating each word and then broke into a manic grin as she continued, "and I think Oz is going to propose."

Buffy chuckled. "Nice one, Will." She tossed back some of the drink Willow had gotten for her.

"You…you don't think he'll propose?" Willow gazed at Buffy, eyes slowly filling with tears. "We just talked about this and you said of course he would propose." Her voice turned shrill and picked up volume. "I don't want to be here if he's not going to. I mean, big with the awkward and I really want him to-"

"Will, breathe." Buffy grabbed the frantic redhead by the hand. "I'm sorry. Wow. We really talked about this? Why don't I remember that?" Anger snaked through her as she absently stroked Willow's hand.

Willow started to answer when Oz wrapped his arms around her from behind and Buffy's hazel eyes narrowed at his action. "Hey. If I'd know you were going to be here, sweetie, I'd have dressed up." His lips twitched in his trademark semi-smile. "Buff. You keeping my girl company?"

"You know me, Oz. Will's my number one priority." Buffy smiled, but a headache began to pound behind her eyes as she unwound her fingers from Willow's.

"Sweet." Pressing a kiss to his girlfriend's flushed cheek, he murmured, "You wanna dance, Willow? The next set doesn't start for a while." Willow nodded enthusiastically, and they headed to the floor, hand in hand.

Watching them, Buffy rubbed a hand against her temple. The lighting in the Bronze flickered, and then came back on almost immediately. Now everything had an orange cast to it. Buffy shrugged at the suddenly dim club and glanced back to her friends. They made a cute couple, but watching them pulled a growl from deep inside. Unexplained rage burned through her. Confused, angry, and afraid, she jumped from her seat. She had to leave, right now.

Stumbling through the throng of people, cold sweat slicking her skin, Buffy felt the anger pulse and throb. The orange hue deepened. She needed Willow. No way could she make it home alone like this. The vamps would be all over her. Altering course, she shoved people out of her way, desperate to find her friend. Relief temporarily overwhelmed the anger when she spotted the familiar red head. "Will!" she called out urgently.

Oz and Willow didn't hear her. They were too wrapped up in each other, gazing into each other's eyes and swaying to the bluesy ballad. Another, louder growl, burst from Buffy's lips, earning her looks from the couples nearby. Unable to control herself, she grabbed Oz by the back of his shirt, throwing him away from Willow. "Keep your hands off!" Her voice emanated from her chest.

"Buffy! What…Leave Oz alone." Willow pulled at Buffy's arm. "Are you OK?"

Spinning around, Buffy stared hard at her friend. Willow was pale, but she wasn't going away. "He was touching you."

A hand waved in her face. "Hello! Earth to Buffy. Oz is my boyfriend. That's allowed; it's even expected." Willow frowned. "You don't look so good. Do you need to sit down?"

Buffy shook her head again. Thoughts jumbled up inside and she couldn't focus on anything. "No, he can't…I…"

"Willow, maybe we'd better go." Oz sidled up to Willow.

It was too much for Buffy. Wrenching Willow out of Oz's arms, she shoved the redhead behind her and faced off with the musician. "I said to keep your hands off." The people clustered around them faded. She saw only Oz, and the need to hurt him, kill him roared through her. That need to kill saved the werewolf's life. Recoiling from Oz, Buffy sprinted for the door, running, fleeing the hate and bloodlust in her veins…

Bolting upright, panting, Buffy stared around the room. Not the Bronze...No Oz…As her heart rate slowly returned to normal, Buffy remembered she was in the safe house. She tossed off the blankets and slid from the bed. She needed to know what was going on.

Willow paused just outside the door and scrubbed at her eyes. She couldn't go into the living room crying. Too many questions, and no possible way to answer them. Trying to take a deep breath hurt. Her stomach churned. Willow dropped her head for just a minute, giving in to the confusion and pain. Buffy didn't remember. Didn't remember the kiss at the Bronze, admitting she wanted to try a relationship. A bitter smile twisted Willow's lips. Not the first time she'd been wrong about love. Xander, Malcolm, Oz…Buffy.

She'd deal later. Now, the Scoobies needed her help with Adam. Forcing reluctant feet to move, she plodded into the living room. "Any news?"

"Well, we have a list of demons Professor Walsh _might_ have used to make Adam," Xander offered. "Only twenty five names long and still adding more."

"That seems like a lot," Willow groused, dropping to the floor next to her old friend. "I can't believe I couldn't get the information from the computers." She sighed, standing back up. "You guys keep up the strategy session. I'm going to set up in the kitchen and keep hacking."

Giles shook his head. "That seems to be a poor use of your talents, my dear."

"I'm not exactly an expert in the arcane, Giles," Willow snapped. Then waving an apologetic hand at the older man, "Sorry. Besides the Great Demon List, what are we looking for?"

No one spoke.

Throwing her hands in the air, Willow half shouted, "This is like the Ascension all over again. We need a better way, guys. I am so not sitting here going through every magical book ever written, hoping something will just jump out at me." Green eyes snapping, she glared at Tara. "Did you get anything from Adam when you felt him during the spell?"

Flushing at the harsh tone, Tara shook her head rapidly. "N-no."

"Why not?" At Tara's confused look, Willow tried again. "Why didn't you feel anything? He traced your signature, Tara. He had to at least touch you in order to do that."

"I don't…I don't know." The blonde witch ducked her head, hair cascading in front of her face. "When he re-reached for me, I just pu-pulled back."

"Perhaps we could recreate the tracking spell?" Giles interrupted quietly. Everyone looked at him and he smiled slightly. "What I mean is, there must be a way to magically allow Tara to experience the situation again." He looked at Tara. "My dear, without the external distractions, you might be able to tell us more about Adam and his abilities."

Still looking unsure, Tara nodded. "Mr. Giles, do you have a spell in mind?"

"Well, ah…" Looking sheepish, Giles mumbled, "No."

"Nice, G-man. Get us all wound up and ready to go, and then tell us you don't have a fricken clue." Faith yawned. "You got more spell books for us or can we catch some sleep?"

Xander stood up and stretched. "You must have forgotten, Faith. Scoobies don't sleep until after the bad guy's dead." He held out a hand to the grumpy Slayer. "Come on, let's take a walk into the kitchen. Drinks for all."

Two dimples peeked out. "I don't know, Xan. You aren't afraid I'll steal your 'Doughnut Getting Guy' title?" Taking his hand, Faith let him pull her off the couch.

"There are two things horribly wrong with that, Faith." Xander slung an arm around Faith's shoulders. "One, in your current weakened condition, I might be able to take you. And, two, you so could never be the 'Doughnut Getting _Guy_.'"

"I'll give you number two," Faith allowed, before reaching out and grabbing Xander around the waist and picking him up. "But number one…not happening." She dropped him back to the floor.

"Right. OK, good point." Straightening his clothes, Xander followed a laughing Faith into the kitchen.

Willow watched them go with a small smile. "Tara, do you have any idea where we can look for the spell we need?"

"Not really. It would need to be fairly complex." Tara shrugged. "It might be simpler to skip the books and try writing one."

"You know, that didn't really work out the last time we tried it." Running a hand through her hair, Willow leaned back into the couch, stretching. "But, it's a lot more exciting than days of pouring through the spell books."

"It worked, Willow. We just didn't expect Adam to fight back." Tara chewed on her lip. "What if we used Harptos' _Vicis Regeneration_ as a base and build from there?"

"Isn't that simply a visual recreation of an event?" Giles unhooked his glasses and cleaned the lenses with a handkerchief.

"Like watching a movie, yeah," Willow agreed, bouncing slightly where she sat. Faith and Xander came back, laden with drinks, and she absently mumbled a thanks. "So, that gives us the visual; how do we get the full emotional effect as well?"

"Hypnotism?" Xander volunteered. He blushed and grinned when the three magic experts looked at him. "I know. Shut up, Xander."

"It's not without merit," Giles opined.

"Really?" Faith looked dubious. "Wow. Things have so changed. The X-man with an idea." She moved quickly out of the way when Xander lunged for her.

Tara giggled at their antics, but quickly sobered when both Giles and Willow frowned at the two brunette Scoobies. "If we try hypnotism, how will that help with the recreation?"

Willow scrunched her nose, thinking hard. "It won't really be hypnotism. We'll put you into a trance and then trigger the memory." She looked up at Giles. "If this works, then maybe you guys should do it to me, too. I was right up against Adam, and I borrowed a little of his energy."

Taking a sip of the tea Xander had handed him, Giles nodded. "Indeed. However, are we quite sure we have enough in the way of planning to even attempt the spell?"

"I'm sure I can do the _Vicus_ spell," Tara said. She hesitated. "The trance, though… Willow, can you show us how it will work?"

"Sure." Willow stood up. "If it works the way I think, it'll be like triggering Xander's soldier memories. The images will play out for us all to watch, but you'll actually experience the feelings from the thing with Adam." Frowning, she looked at the other Scoobies. "But, it may need some fine tuning. Any volunteers to help me out?"

"Count me out," Faith was quick to say. "No way am I gonna be some kind of lab rat."

A quiet voice in the corner said, "I'll do it."


	16. Chapter 16

Everyone looked at Buffy, standing in the hallway. "Thought you were gonna get some sleep, B. The girls got things under control." Faith watched Buffy closely. The blonde Slayer was still pale and worn.

"Couldn't sleep." Buffy shrugged, not looking directly at anyone. "I volunteer to be the guinea pig for the spell. Might as well be useful since sleeping isn't part of the deal." Wandering forward, she asked, "Will, what do you need me to do?"

_Go away_, Willow thought. It was too soon. She wasn't ready for Buffy to be here. Out loud, though, she managed a strangled, "Have a seat anywhere and then just relax." She wiped sweating hands on her pants as Buffy dropped to sit next to Xander. "Um, OK, do you have a memory in mind?" Like Buffy, she avoided eye contact as she asked the question.

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. I think so."

Hesitantly, the redhead moved to stand behind Buffy. "Just put yourself _in_ the memory, and I'll work on expanding it." Wide green eyes looked at Tara. "Once I make the link, you'll need to do the Vicus spell."

The rest of the Scoobies moved closer, watching the tense scene.

Willow's hands shook when she set them on Buffy's shoulders. "Ready, Buffy?"

"Yeah, Will." The blonde head nodded forcefully.

"OK." Willow sucked in a deep breath and tried to clear her mind. Her thoughts zoomed in a hundred directions at breakneck speed. All of the thoughts contained Buffy and kissing her in the bedroom. Slowly, she pushed her worries aside, regaining some inner calm, and reached out to the Slayer. It was easier this time. Buffy was open, accepting.

But as her mind got closer to her friend's, Willow froze. Buffy felt the change. "Will? Shouldn't something be happening by now?"

"Sorry." Willow fought off panic, breath coming in harsh pants. What did Buffy want to remember? What if she chose the scene in the bedroom? Shaking her head, trying to focus her mind on the spell, Willow reached out again. Her mind brushed Buffy's, establishing a tentative link. _Good. I can do this_. Time to get to work. Broadening the link, she started to tease at the memory Buffy was holding and dimly heard Tara start to chant.

In just a minute, there would be a three dimensional replay rife with emotions right in front of them. _OK. I really can't do this. Not yet…_ She broke the link with Buffy, grunting along with the Slayer at the abrupt termination of their connection. "It's not working right. I can't find the memory," she babbled unconvincingly. "Um, m-maybe it would help if I knew what I was looking for?" Sweat soaked her shirt. She had to know if Buffy planned to use their kiss for the spell. No way did she want the Scoobies to see Buffy's reaction to the very brief kiss.

"Damn it, Willow. What's wrong now?" Buffy stared up at Willow impatiently. Something had happened between them. She understood that, but she didn't remember. Shouldn't this spell help with that? Willow had been the one to suggest the spell. Why was she freaking now?

Tears threatened, and Willow fought them back. Voice tight with strain, she whispered in Buffy's ear, "Can we talk first? Please, Buffy. I can't…I can't do the spell until we talk." She fled through the kitchen to the porch outside.

Six pairs of eyes followed her progress.

"Sorry, guys. It seems there's a momentary delay." Buffy climbed wearily off the couch and trudged toward the kitchen.

The Scoobies' confused silence lasted only seconds, and then they all wanted to know what was wrong.

"Honey, is Willow alright?" Joyce started to get to her feet.

Buffy paused. "I don't know, Mom." She tried to smile. "Maybe she just wants to make sure I'm not going to embarrass all of you with my choice in memory."

"You mean like Parker and the beer thing?" Xander asked, then shrunk back on the couch when Buffy leveled a glare at him. "Or something else. I'm sure she wasn't thinking of that."

Sensing even more questions were soon to follow, Buffy held up a hand to forestall them. "Look, Will and I need to talk. No talk, no spell." She shrugged. "That's all I know right now." She went after Willow, who was leaning against the railing on the small porch, head bowed. "Will? You gonna maybe explain what's going on now?" She gently stroked her friend's arm.

She wasn't prepared for the violent way Willow jerked away. "Don't!" Willow sounded almost hysterical. "Don't touch me. Goddess, just don't."

Pain slammed Buffy, and she struggled to breathe. "Will?" She bit her lip, tasting blood. "What did I do to you? I didn't…" It all came together now. The kiss, Willow's pulling away at her touch… "Will, did I hurt you? F-force you?" Nausea rolled through her, and she fought to keep from being sick.

"No, Buffy." The words were quiet, and tears streaked Willow's face.

Buffy took a staggering step backward, hand on the rail to keep from falling. "Wow. Not so big with the disagreement, Will." She sucked in a deep breath, wincing as it hurt her throat.

"Buffy-" Willow reached out a shaking hand, eyes dark with pain.

It was too much. Adrenaline surged, and Buffy responded by hurdling the railing. Landing lightly, she pivoted, sprinting through the tiny yard. Blinded by tears, she stumbled into the narrow alley behind the property, and fled Willow's voice calling her name.

Willow tried to catch Buffy, but lost sight of her almost immediately. Sobbing, arm clamped against the stitch in her side, she jogged back to the safe house. Pulling the door open, she hurried inside.

"Good Lord!" Giles was the first to notice her, and he blanched at her condition. "Are you alright?"

Willow shook her head rapidly. "Buffy…" she struggled to get the words out, choking on sobs and exertion.

"B did this?" Faith's voice was incredulous. She jumped off the couch and ran for the back door.

"No.Wait!" Willow managed, and Faith slid to a stop. "We…She wanted to know what happened when she was still drugged."

Faith nodded slowly, frowning. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," Willow almost whispered. Tears poured from her eyes. "She didn't give me a chance to explain." She met Faith's eyes. "She thought she'd hurt me, and she ran."

"That can't be good." Xander stood and started pacing. "Upset Slayers mean big fights and many injuries."

"Then we get our asses out there and keep that from happening." Faith's voice was determined. "G-man, Blondie, stay here and man the phone and keep digging for ways to beat Adam. The rest of us will split up and hit B's favorite haunts."

Joyce interrupted the exodus. "We need to go in pairs, guys. If Adam is still looking for us, we stand a slightly better chance if we aren't alone. Xander, why don't you come with me? We'll check the house and the university first. Willow, you and Faith can try the nightclubs and cemeteries." She grabbed her coat from the back of her chair. "Check in every hour or so.

Buffy slowed to a walk when she hit downtown. It was late, and the streets were empty. Rubbing at the tears drying on her cheeks, Buffy wrapped her arms around her stomach. _I didn't hurt Will. No way._ Internal certainty warred with the look on Willow's face and the way she'd pleaded not to be touched. Buffy's head dropped to her chest. Tears threatened again. She clenched her fists. No more crying. It wasn't helping. She had to find a way to get her emotions back on an even keel. Patrol usually helped her think. Maybe it was time to work out some of her confusion using vamp therapy.

Jaywalking across Main Street, Buffy ducked into an alley. The darkness between the buildings suited her mood, and the military garb she still wore let her disappear completely from view. Stomping in and out of puddles, she made her way quickly out of town and into Shady Acres. Not as large as many of the cemeteries in Sunnydale, it still managed a good number of vamps. Wandering through the tombstones and crypts, Buffy stayed alert. Nothing. Damn. "Hello? Anyone out there?" Buffy called out. This was just wrong. She needed something to beat on. "Come on, guys. I'm here – alone – in the middle of the night in the cemetery. Don't you need a snack or something?"

No vamps, demons, or small furry animals emerged from the oppressive darkness. Buffy persevered, however. Arms swinging at her sides, she completed two full circuits of the grounds with the same results. "Never a fucking vamp around when you need one." She considered her options. More fruitless searching in the cemeteries didn't appeal. Walking meant thinking about the feel of Will's lips on hers and the pain in her eyes on the porch. Not thinking sounded a whole lot better. _Hmmm, maybe there's a way to get a little fun and a little forgetting, too_. Sprinting out of Shady Acres, she headed for Willie's.

Pushing into the bar, Buffy paused to let her eyes adjust to the change in lighting. The place rang with emptiness. Even the space behind the large wood-topped bar was vacant. _I guess the fun fighting is out. _"Willie?" she called, moving forward.

A greasy head popped out of a storeroom to the left of the counter. "Hey, Slayer. What are you doing here?" Willie waved at the empty room. "As you can see, no one's here. No need to break anything or make any threats." He ducked back into the room, voice floating through the door, "Between you and that military group, I'm thinking of shutting down. Maybe heading to a new location."

"Well, hold off on the move for one more night." Buffy dropped heavily onto one of the stools at the bar.

"Oh, yeah?" Willie came out and grabbed a towel, wiping at the bar. "You looking for some information or something? I'm good for the latest demon gossip." He slid a bowl of peanuts to Buffy.

She wasn't on an information hunt. She wanted a nice, normal fight. Still, maybe Willie could help. "Got anything on a new demon? Calls himself Adam." Buffy tossed a handful of nuts in her mouth, a flicker of hope pushing at the knot in her stomach. However, Willie shook his head. "Too bad." The knot grew bigger. Hands twitching restlessly on the scarred wooden bar, Buffy chose the only option left. "How about a beer, then?"

Beady eyes widening, Willie looked at the Slayer slumped over the bar. "You wanna drink here?" Tilting his head to the side, he pressed for answers. Someone would be interested in word of the Slayer slumming in his establishment. When cold hazel eyes met his, though, Willie opted for personal safety. Wide smile pasted on his narrow face, he said, "Sure. I can help you there." He reached under the bar and slid open a refrigerated compartment. "Anything in particular you like?"

Dropping her eyes, Buffy shrugged. "I'm not picky. Whatever you have a lot of." She stared at her hands until a brown bottle appeared in front of her. "Nice. Thanks, Willie."

"Sure. Got a deal on it from some Rrothnag demon last week. Plenty more where that came from it you're thirsty tonight." Willie went back to wiping down the bar, sneaking glances at Buffy as she raised the bottle to her lips.

The dark liquid was bitter, but not bad. Sliding off the stool, Buffy glanced around the bar. "I'm not looking for conversation, especially not with you, Willie." She pointed at a booth in the back. "Bring the rest of your stash of this back there and then leave me the fuck alone."

Leaving Willie to stare at her, Buffy strode through the tables to the back and sat down in her appointed booth, booted feet on the bench and back pressed to the wall. Tipping the bottle again, she quickly finished her first drink of the night.


	17. Chapter 17

Willow sniffed back fresh tears as she followed Faith through the latest cemetery. So far, they'd visited five of Sunnydale's many burial grounds. The brunette Slayer moved warily between shadowy tombstones. Faith's voice halted the slim hand creeping up to wipe at the tears on her face.

"Red, she ain't here." The husky voice breathed frustration. "You wanna know what I think?"

"No." Willow rudely answered. "I don't." Pulling her shoulders back, she clenched her hands into fists to keep them from shaking and met Faith's eyes through the gloom. "We aren't here to talk. We're here to find Buffy. End of story."

Faith opened her mouth, but then closed it with a snap. She shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans, slumping forward. "Whatever. Nothing pressing on my social calendar. We can hike through all the cemeteries in town, but B ain't gonna be there." She spun on her heel and trotted ahead, putting a gap between them.

"Like you have a clue what Buffy would do," Willow muttered to herself. Buffy had to be here. Or, if not here, then in one of the other vampire haunts. No matter how upset she might have gotten, Willow knew her best friend wouldn't abandon her Calling. She'd still be out here protecting Sunnydale's residents from creatures of the night.

They walked in silence for a few more minutes. Then Faith exploded. "Fuck it." She stopped abruptly and stood, hands on hips. "I'm gonna give you my opinion, Red, whether you want it or not." Seeing Willow stiffen, she hurried on. "If you want to blast me after, fine, but you're going to listen for a minute. B ain't here." Faith emphasized each word. "Look around you. Use that brain you're so proud of. There are no vamps here. Not one. Why would B be in an empty cemetery? If she's anything like me, she's out looking for something to pound on."

"Well, there you have it," Willow snarled back. "Buffy's nothing like you."

For just a moment, Faith appeared to flinch and blink rapidly. "Maybe you're right." Her voice was huskier than usual. "But that don't mean I'm wrong. Even if B's only out here to make sure Adam and his crew aren't slaughtering the residents, there's nothing to fight. I can't feel a single vamp anywhere around, Red."

Willow frowned, wanting to argue, but Faith's words made sense. Voice quiet, she asked, "If not here, then where?"

"I don't know." Faith rand her hands through her hair and turned slowly in a circle. "I don't exactly get the Scooby Newsletter. You're her best friend, Red. Where the fuck would she go?"

Biting her lip, Willow tried to think. "She's not acting like herself." She wandered forward until she stood next to Faith. "The Bronze?"

Faith started in that direction. "You think she's tipping a few back?"

"Buffy doesn't drink." Faith snorted. "Look, you asked. I answered." Willow threw her hands in the air. "Why are you even here? It's not like you're one of us. Shouldn't you be heading out of town to avoid the police or out finding your next one night stand?"

The look Faith leveled at Willow had the young witch backpedaling. "I was all set to do just that." The husky voiced hardened. "And then I came across you and B putting on a show in the Bronze, and suddenly I'm hauling B's ex halfway across town."

Wrapping her arms tightly around her chest, Willow glared unrepentantly at the Slayer. "And now?"

"Fuck. What's with you?" Faith shook her head and started to stalk off. Willow ran after her. "Are you all on drugs? Did the government put something in the water? Never thought I'd say this, Red, but I miss the shy version of you."

"What…what do you mean?" Willow dropped her arms and ran after Faith. "Hey! Still talking here." She grabbed Faith's arm.

Faith stopped, even though she could easily have pulled away. "See. That's what I mean. I take a long nap, and when I wake up, B's goes all Primal Slayer and is kissing girls, and you're the new Take Charge Willow. What the fuck happened?"

"Oh." Willow dropped her hand. "We grew up. Or," she grinned self consciously, "I did. Buffy…I don't know what going on with Buffy."

"I don't think B knows what's going on with her, either." A warm hand hesitantly landed on Willow's shoulder. "She don't remember the Bronze, does she?" There was rough sympathy in the husky voice.

Not trusting herself to speak around the lump suddenly blocking her throat, Willow shook her head.

The hand fell away, and Faith started walking. "I must be crazy." She smirked. "Hell, maybe whatever's in the water's affecting me, too. You really think B's at the Bronze?"

"Not really." Willow blushed when Faith smirked. "I mean, normally that's where she'd go if she needed to blow off a little steam. But…but this isn't really normal." She glanced at Faith. "You used to disappear all the time before –" she broke off.

"Before I went all evil?" Faith's voice seemed to echo in the night air.

They exited the cemetery, and turned toward downtown. Ignoring the reference to Faith's betrayal, Willow asked, "Where did you go, when you wanted some space?"

Faith blew out a breath. "Red, I ain't like the Scoobies. The Bronze was way tame for me. Do you think B's that far gone?"

"Don't you?" Her voice cracked, and Willow swallowed more tears. "She threw you into a wall, Faith."

"And eight months ago, she stabbed me with my own knife." Bitter anger lashed at Willow. "It may come as a shock to you, Red, but B's always been about violence. She's a Slayer. Just because you've never seen it or dealt with it doesn't mean it wasn't there."

"Fine!" Willow lost the battle with her tears. "Fine. So I don't know anything about Buffy. Got it." A shaking hand wiped at her face. "We have to find her Faith." Her voice rose. "We have to."

Responding to the brittle quality of Willow's voice, Faith jammed her fisted hands against her thighs. "Calm down, Red. Sunnydale ain't that big. There aren't that many places to hide." She dropped her head to her chest, thinking. "Man, if it were me, I'd be at Willie's. If the vamps aren't in the cemeteries, maybe they're making merry at the bar."

Buffy slammed the bottle onto the table. "Willie!"

"What?" The bartender popped up from behind the counter. "Come on, Slayer. I told you. There ain't no more of that in the back. Now, if you want something else, let me know. Otherwise, stop with the yelling."

"Fine," Buffy spit out. She tossed the bottle across the room and smiled when it shattered against the far wall. "Something else."

Narrowing his eyes, Willie watched Buffy, surprise and fear mingling. "You sure?" He stepped back when Buffy glared his way. "You're sure. Yep. Gimme a second, and I'll be right back with a little something special." He ducked back into the store room, mumbling under his breath.

Still pressed against the wall of the booth, Buffy wiggled her foot impatiently. How long did it take to grab a case of beer? Even buzzing from the already consumed alcohol, Buffy's senses lit up. "Well, fuck. I can't even have a drink without interruptions." Carefully, she slid out of the booth, and stood, swaying slightly. "Hey, Willie? You OK back there?"

No one answered.

"Time to get my own drink," she muttered, moving with deliberate steps toward the storeroom. Buffy had almost reached the bar when a familiar blonde head appeared in the doorway. "Spike!"

"Slayer, fancy meetin' you here." He grinned sardonically. "Couldn't find any college boys at the Bronze? Or were you hoping for someone a little more experience?" Spike smirked, sitting on a bar stool and leaning against the bar.

Buffy waved a hand, nearly overbalancing. "Nah. Just wanted a quiet place to have a beer."

"Just one?" Buffy frowned. Was he making fun of her? "Eh, who cares. I could use a stiff drink m'self." Spike peered behind the bar. "Where's Willie?"

"Don't know." Buffy managed the last few steps to the bar and sank down next to Spike. "He went to get more beer and never came back." She stared at the vampire next to her for a minute. "What're you doing here?"

The jacketed shoulders shrugged. "Needed a drink."

Buffy nodded, and they sat in silence for a minute.

"Well, this is a bleedin' waste of time," Spike bitched. "Think I'll wander into the back and find my own drink."

"Grab me a beer while you're up." Buffy laid her head on the bar, eyes drifting closed.

She missed Spike's eyes turn yellow. "Sure, Slayer. Whatever you want." A cold smile crossed his pale features.

"Thanks." A small hand flashed a thumbs up sign in acknowledgment.

Vaulting over the bar, Spike landed lightly and disappeared into the back. Buffy heard a scuffling sound and her senses tingled again. Dragging her heavy head up, she scanned the bar. Still empty.

"I think I've got something you'll like." Spike's voice drifted out.

Buffy smiled and relaxed again. "Great. Can't wait."

"Thought you'd say that." Spike reemerged, followed by six more vampires in full game face.

Pushing away from the bar, Buffy blinked, trying to bring things into focus. "Can't kill me yourself so you brought some friends?" Sweat broke out all over her body. She was drunk. Maybe too drunk to handle a fight. "I thought it was your goal in life…um, unlife to kill me yourself," she taunted, slowly backing away as the vamps fanned out around her.

Spike entered the vamp circle and smiled before letting his face shift to its demonic visage. "As much as I would enjoy killing you, I'm doing a favor for a colleague. Count yourself lucky, Slayer, he wants you alive."

"I usually do." Buffy kept her voice light and mocking. "After all, it's my sacred duty to kick your ass. What more could a girl ask for?" Never taking her eyes off Spike, she grabbed a chair from one of the tables and wrenched it apart. Brandishing her new stakes, she waited.

Holding his arms out from his body, Spike moved closer. "Redecorating? Willie will be so upset." He spun, lashing out with a booted foot.

Buffy ducked clumsily, then tried to sweep his anchor leg. She was far too slow. Spike easily leaped over the sweep, grabbing her by the throat and tossing her several feet into the air. Buffy landed against a table, shattering it before slamming into the floor. Gasping against the pain, she rolled, staggering to her feet.

Spike toyed with her. His punches were just slow enough for her to block, but the effort drained Buffy. Finally, she misjudged, and Spike's fist connected with her jaw. Chilling laughter sounded in her ears just before she blacked out.


	18. Chapter 18

Buffy woke slowly, head pounding. Her Slayer senses screamed even through the headache and an accompanying nausea. She stayed limp and regulated her breathing. Afraid to open hers eyes even slightly, Buffy concentrated on figuring out where she was. Shoes scuffled over a hard surface, echoing slightly. Some kind of open space? She drew in a slow, deep breath. Stale sweat with a heavy overlay of beer. Still at Willie's. Either these were the dumbest vampires every Turned, or she hadn't been out very long.

Voices sounded and pain stabbed at her. She barely stifled a groan as the sound reverberated in her head. Through the fog in her mind, Buffy began to pick up pieces of the conversation in the room.

"Thanks, mates. I'll take our little Slayer to her new home now."

Spike. Buffy fought down the growl rising in her throat. Rage burned behind the lingering hangover. Her teeth clenched, and Buffy held the primal instincts of the Slayer back by sheer force of will. However, she promised herself as soon as she figured out what was going on, she'd make sure to kick his ass.

A new voice broke into her plans for vengeance. "When do we get paid, Spike? I mean," the speaker chuckled, "if you offered me a taste of the Slayer, I'd forget all about money."

Buffy thought she heard the whistle of wood in the air just before a pained gasp. "How about this? I dust you, and there's more for the rest of us?" Spike asked.

_Did he just dust one of the others?_ Buffy thought. She needed to get out of here. Wherever here was. Through the fog in her mind, she tried to remember what had happened at Willie's. Six vampires plus Spike. So only five left. She'd deal with Spike after the others were out of the way. Using one of the meditation techniques Giles had taught her, Buffy pushed the pain into a corner of her awareness and focused totally on the task at hand.

The world slowed to the sound of her heartbeat and the feel of oxygen filling her lungs. From deep inside, the Slayer poured energy into her body. Her skin felt tight from the infusion of power. _Wait,_ some inner voice whispered. _Wait._ Buffy wasn't sure where the command came from, but she stayed still. The power inside continued to increase until the air around her seemed to crackle. _Now!_ the inner voice shouted.

Buffy exploded off the ground, eyes flying open. Spike jerked back, stumbling over a barstool. "Bloody hell!" A pale hand reached into his coat.

Not waiting to see what weapon hid there, Buffy grabbed the nearest vampire and pulled him in front of her. His body shielded her from the electrical current spewing from the tazer rifle Spike unveiled. Buffy got a better grip on the unconscious vampire and heaved him straight at the bleach blonde Englishman. Spike went down in a tangle of arms and legs.

Grinning at the curses coming her way, Buffy went after the four vamps still standing. The first made a newbie mistake and charged straight at her. With a contemptuous smirk, Buffy stepped out of his path at the last minute. Reaching out, she caught his head in her hands, twisting violently. Bones snapped, and he dropped to the floor, not completely out of the fight, but down for the moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Spike almost on his feet. No time for cute now. Repeating her actions from earlier, Buffy ripped apart another chair and tossed two of the legs. Two piles of dust appeared on the floor. The final vamp ran for the door. Buffy let him go.

Tidying his ruffled blond locks, Spike glared at Buffy. "I don't care how much that wanker is offering; you're history, Slayer."

"Let me think about that." Buffy pretended to think. "Nope. Sorry. Not tonight." She narrowed her eyes, feeling the Slayer pressing for a fight. Not used to feeling the Slayer so clearly, she paused for a second, confused. The primal scream inside got her started again. Tentatively, afraid of the consequences, Buffy listened to the inner voice a second time. The Slayer howled in her head and another surge of energy flowed. Growls tore from her throat and an orange haze covered the room.

Spike didn't notice anything different in her appearance. However, he seemed to find the sounds emanating from her amusing. Pale lips lifted in a grin. "Never would have figured you for the beastly type, Blondie. Always had you pegged as the shy, virginal type."

Buffy reached down and picked up another chair leg. "You talk too much." She stalked slowly forward.

Her opponent was more experienced than his companions had been. Keeping his eyes on her, Spike slid away from the bar. They circled each other, tensed, looking for an opening. The vampire broke first. Fangs bared, he picked up a chair and swung. Buffy ducked. As soon as the furniture cleared her head, she was upright and moving forward. Spike didn't even have a chance to defend himself. The chair leg made a fantastic club.

With a flick of her wrist, Buffy smashed the wood into the vampire's head. The chair fell from his hands, and he staggered backward, crashing into a table. "Before this is over, Spike," Buffy commented with eerie calm, emotions caged behind the orange glow, "you're going to tell me who hired you to kidnap me."

"The hell I am," he shot back, regaining his feet. He dropped into a defensive stance.

"Better tell me know." Buffy twirled her crude weapon in her hand. Not as balanced as Mr. Pointy. "It might convince me to kill you quickly. If you resist, I foresee lots of pain in your future."

Spike licked his lips provocatively. "Bring it on then, luv." He held out his arms in a mocking invitation.

"Don't mind if I do." Buffy leapt across the room into his open arms. Her momentum took them both to the ground on the shattered remains of the table behind Spike. His head cracked onto the floor. Buffy took advantage of his injury. Standing, she dragged the larger man up by his coat collar. "I warned you, Spike. Here's a taste of what's going to happen." Hands jerked him down toward the floor, coinciding with a raised knee, and an enraged, pain-filled howl filled the air.

"Last chance, Spike. Who hired you?" Buffy waited a second. Spike didn't answer. "Oh, sorry, I guess you didn't understand the rules." He was still limp in her grasp, hands clenched over his damaged privates. Locating an undamaged chair, Buffy dropped Spike into in before landing a punishing right to his chin. His head flew to the side only to be met with a left. A few more rounds, and Buffy got tired of playing. Holding Spike's head up by his hair, she said conversationally, "You're going to tell me who hired you, aren't you, Spike."

His yellow eyes dull with pain, Spike hissed out, "Yes."

Buffy let go of his hair and stepped back. "Well? Who is it?"

"Adam." Spike spit blood from his mouth. "Adam hired me."

"Willie's?" Willow squeaked out. "You think Buffy's at a demon bar?"

Faith threw her hands in the air. "No, Red. You wanted to know where _I_ went back in the bad old days to get away from you and the gang. _I_ went to Willie's." Her voice rose.

The redhead blushed, glad the dark hid the bright color flooding her cheeks. "B-but you think she might be there? Drinking?"

"It's as good a place to look as any." Faith shrugged. "If she ain't drinking, maybe she's working out some of her aggression on Willie's usual patrons. There used to be a pretty good crowd of vamps and demons in there to beat up."

Exhausted from all the emotional upheaval, Willow acquiesced. "Willie's then." She stumbled along in Faith's wake, legs leaden and head pounding. Through the pain, she heard Faith's voice, but couldn't make out the question. "Sorry. What?"

Brown eyes regarded her quizzically. "You OK back there? We can find a phone, see if Mrs. S'll pick you up while I go to Willie's."

No way. Clenching her teeth, Willow forced herself to straighten. "I'm fine." A raised eyebrow mocked her claim. "I'm _not_ leaving," she snarled.

"Whatever, Red." Faith continued to stroll along in silence, hands in her pockets. "Since we're bonding or whatever, where'd you find Blondie? She seemed kinda new to the Scooby experience."

"You mean Tara?" Willow frowned, not seeing the importance in the question. Shouldn't they be focusing on finding Buffy?

Faith shrugged. "Yeah. Tara." It was so unusual for Faith to actually use someone's full name that Willow glanced at her in shock. She received a smirk in response. "What? You didn't think I could avoid a nickname, Willow?" Laughter floated through the air

Wrapping her arms around her middle, Willow dropped her head. "Sorry."

Faith didn't say anything to that. She simply picked up her pace until Willow had to trot to keep up. "We'll be there in a few minutes. You sure you want to go in?"

"Of course." Willow wasn't standing outside while Faith looked for Buffy. It didn't matter if Buffy never remembered their kiss. They were best friends, and no way did she trust Faith with finding her alone. "I've been to Willie's before, you know." Not exactly true. She'd come with Xander once; only, she'd stayed in the car while he went in.

"Fair enough," Faith commented. "Then follow my lead and don't say anything. Let me do the talking. Willie needs a firm hand to cough up information."

The bar came into view. A single light illuminated the worn placard hanging over the door. "Maybe I'm wrong…aren't there usually demons and stuff smoking by the entrance?" Willow swallowed hard. Something wasn't right.

"Yeah. Hang on." Faith stood very still, eyes closed. "B's inside." Her hand shot out, keeping Willow from sprinting for the bar. "She's got company. Can't tell how many, though." She relaxed a little, eyes opening. Pulling a stake out of her jacket, she took off across the street.

Not wanting to alert the creatures inside the bar, Willow didn't yell at Faith as the Slayer left her behind. Instead, she contemplated magical ways to get even and hurried after the other girl. By the time Willow reached the door to the bar, Faith was already inside. With a slow movements, she pushed it open a crack, peering cautiously inside. The tiny opening revealed a swath of destruction through the room. Willow heard Buffy's voice. Her friend was angry. Willow's eyes widened. Very angry. She'd never heard the Slayer sound so out of control before.

Leaving Willow to catch up, Faith sprinted across the street to Willie's. Adrenaline and fear swirled through her. Eight months in a hospital bed. Did she still have what it took to kick undead ass? Hand on the door, Faith paused just long enough to push the doubt back behind her usual bravado. It didn't matter if she was in fighting trim. Buffy might need her. How often in the past had she gotten the chance to be the Slayer appearing just in time to save the day?

Faith knew little of finesse. She shoved the door open, leaping into the room and taking stock of the action. She stopped and stared at the scene playing out in the center of the room.

Buffy had a blond vamp in a chair. She systematically battered the bleeding demon, growling questions at him. Each time he refused to answer (which appeared to be often), Buffy added just a little more force to her blows. Moving a little closer, Faith nearly recoiled from the sudden energy infusing her body. Something powerful and almost angry woke deep inside. _No!_ Faith screamed at the _thing_ trying to take control of her mind and body. _No, I will not do this again._

Shaking, conflicted, she dropped into a chair toward the back of the room. Breathing deeply and heavily, Faith fought the new energy back until the urge to release the Slayer dimmed. She heard Willow stumble into the room and feigned a nonchalance she didn't feel. Propping her feet on the table in front of her, she called out to the pale and wide-eyed redhead. "Pull up a seat, Red. Looks like your girl is trying to get some answers about Adam."

"You…You need to stop her." Faith thought Willow might throw up. Freckles stood out on her face, and her throat moved as she swallowed repeatedly.

"Nah." Faith grinned, dimples flashing, hiding her own unease with malicious humor. "B's got things under control. I think that vamp just begged her to let him talk. Maybe he'll know something to help us take out the Tin Man."

Tears streamed down Willow's face. "Please, you have to stop her. She isn't…" Willow's voice broke on a sob. "She isn't like this." Faith stayed put, refusing to respond to the teary green gaze turned her way. "Fine," Willow said, then spun away. Before Faith realized what the redhead was doing, Willow ran through the debris and grabbed Buffy's arm.

A snarl raised the hairs on the back of Faith's neck as she scrambled to her feet. Already moving to protect Willow, she watched Buffy turn angry orange eyes on the slender witch.


	19. Chapter 19

Faith jerked to a halt. Buffy's eyes were wide and filled with rage. The brunette Slayer's senses roared, and an answering rage raced through her. A voice deep inside chanted, _Yes_, with increasing volume. Ignoring that voice and the deep-seated fear shortening her breath, Faith forced herself forward. "Don't, B," she warned, voice shaking. "You wanna work out some anger on the vamp, we're good. Red's a different story."

Reaching out to Willow, Faith urged the hacker out of the way. "Move, Willow. In case you ain't figured it out, that's not Buffy." Her hands clenched into fists, nails driving deep into her own palms. Cold sweat slicked her skin. The voice inside clamored for release.

"No. I'm not leaving her like this." Faith's eyes closed briefly in frustration at Willow's refusal.

"That wasn't a request, Red." The words were sharp, almost desperate. Through their Slayer bond, Faith sensed the other Slayer's continued rage; although, it was now tempered with confusion. Her own Slayer still raged inside, and Faith fought hard to keep from simply responding to the need to fight and kill, to establish her dominance over the other Slayer. Willow didn't move. Her attention focused on Buffy.

No matter how afraid Faith was, she knew Buffy would never forgive herself if anything happened to Willow because of her own actions. Releasing some of the energy she had trapped inside, Faith dove forward, grabbing Willow's arm and pushing her away. Shrieking, the redhead staggered through the broken remains of furniture before falling to the floor at the other side of the barroom.

For just an instant, everyone froze. The stillness was shattered when Buffy growled. Faith cursed and ducked the fist aimed at her head. "Damn it, B. Snap out it." She didn't get to say more. Buffy continued the attack, hands and feet a blur as she alternately punched and kicked. Faith blocked what she could. It wasn't enough. She doubled over, gasping, as Buffy's booted foot slammed into her stomach.

"Fuck it all, B. Can we not do this again?" Faith pleaded. Her Slayer screamed inside, demanding a chance to attack. Buffy circled, clearly not ready to stop. Standing straight, fighting for breath, Faith looked for a way out. "Red, can you do something? Knock her out? Anything?"

She never heard Willow's response. Buffy charged again. Faith's head snapped back as the other Slayer landed two brutal blows. The tenuous hold she had over the Slayer inside slipped. Faith bared her teeth and let the power flood through her.

Buffy's Slayer felt the change in Faith and exulted. Finally, a worthy opponent. Spinning on her left heel, she lashed out with her right foot. The kick missed by a hair. A strong hand latched on to her ankle, pulling hard. The blonde Slayer hurtled through the air until the wall halted her progress. Snarling, she pushed away from the wall, grabbing a piece of a broken table as a weapon.

"Stop it!" The high, thin voice distracted the Slayer briefly. The blonde stopped in her tracks, trying to locate the new opponent. Willow stood a few feet away, hands on her hips.

The Slayer decided the glowering witch was no threat. Ignoring her, the Slayer stalked toward her rival. She gripped her makeshift club and swung low and hard. The other Slayer jumped back a little too slowly. Smiling in satisfaction, the blonde waited for the impact. It never came. Instead, her hand and arm felt encased in foam.

Willow moved into the blonde Slayer's view. "I don't care how much Super Solider Juice you've had, Buffy, you need to stop. Right now!"

Yanking at her arm, the Slayer didn't acknowledge the order. She glared at the brunette in front of her. The other Slayer was trapped in whatever held her own arm and weapon.

"I'm not going away. What is _wrong_ with you?" Willow asked. The Slayer growled, eyes glowing orange. "Oh, enough with the eyes." Her voice was impatient.

The blonde Slayer blinked in surprise, some of the anger dissipating.

"Are you ready to let Faith go?" Willow asked. "We've got way more important things to do than beat each other to a pulp." She took a step closer, and a warm hand touched Buffy's shoulder. "Buff?"

Willow's voice confused the blonde. The overwhelming rage faltered. As the Slayer withdrew, the tiny portion that was simply Buffy rushed to regain control. "Will?" Buffy voice rasped out.

A relieved smile greeted her. "Right here, Buffy."

"What's going on?" Buffy stared around in confusion. Spike, bloodied and unconscious, drooped in a chair. Faith writhed in place inches away from her own hand and a club.

"I don't really know. You were…were beating Spike when Faith and I got here." Buffy could hear lingering fear in Willow's voice. "I had to use a spell to keep you from doing the same to Faith."

"Wow." Buffy shook her head slightly. Flashes of the scene with Spike came back. Pushing those aside for the moment, Buffy watched Faith twist against unseen hands, eyes orange and enraged. "Can you let me go, but keep Faith where she is?"

Willow hesitated. "I don't think so." She blushed and looked away. "I'm kinda still trying to understand how the spell worked in the first place."

Looking into Faith's eyes, Buffy felt her rage and the power of the Slayer. "We have to help her find her way back, Will."

"Way back?" Willow frowned. "From where? She's right here in front of us."

"It's the Slayer. Somehow, the Slayer took control." Buffy maintained eye contact with Faith. When she spoke again, her voice was calm, soft. "Come on, Faith. Fight back. I felt you trying to help me earlier. I know you can block the Slayer."

Flecks of brown flickered within the orange in Faith's eyes.

Buffy smiled encouragingly. "Almost there, Faith. We need you here, not the Slayer. Spike told me about Adam and his plan. I can't do this without you," she coaxed.

A shudder ran through Faith. "Fuck. What a rush."

"I'm thinking the next time we want to experience a rush, we drive to LA and play tag on Wilshire Boulevard during the morning commute." Buffy slumped forward. "Completely back to normal, or should we give you a few minutes?" she asked Faith.

"Nah. I'm good." Faith smirked. "Me and the Slayer have crossed paths before. The only reason she won this time is because you were all with the need to fight, too. Got the blood flowing a little faster than I was used to."

Smiling at the bravado, Buffy turned back to Willow. "Cut us loose, Will? We need to get back to the house."

Willow nodded resolutely and raised her hands at the two frozen Slayers. She chanted quickly, slashing through the air with both hands.

Faith grunted, crying out as Buffy's club slammed into her stomach. "Son of a bitch! Jesus, Red, you could've warned me about that."

Dropping the table leg, Buffy helped Faith stand upright. "Let it go, Faith. We really don't have time." She moved away, examining Spike's body. Bile rose at his broken and battered appearance. The blood and torn skin of her knuckles gave mute testimony to her role in his torture. Closing her eyes against the knowledge, Buffy silently considered the options. Let Spike return to Adam, or make sure he was no longer a threat? The table leg was still in her hand. With one swift, sure movement, she slammed the wood through Spike's chest. Seconds later, his ashes drifted to the floor.

Willow sat on the couch next to Tara in a fog of exhaustion. She hadn't slept in nearly twenty-four hours. Buffy paced back and forth across the room.

"Look, Giles," the blonde said forcefully, "Spike told me Adam _needs_ me for his project. He's got some kind of secret lab at the Initiative."

Looking impatient, Giles commented, "That's fascinating information, Buffy. However, you still don't know what that project is or why he needs you. We simply can't afford to charge into the Initiative without more information."

Hoping to forestall an all-out argument, Willow interrupted. "Buffy, what exactly did Spike tell you?" She tried not to think about the reason the vampire had volunteered the information.

Buffy frowned. "He said Adam was building toy soldiers in his lab, and that I had something he needed."

"Toy soldiers?" Xander sat up in his chair. "That's not good."

"Not good how, Xan?" Willow was the first to ask. "Not good like 'it's raining on my birthday?' Or not good, like 'we're facing another end of the world?'" She stared at her oldest friend, willing him to reassure them all.

Pushing his hair back from his face, Xander grimaced. "Don't think you're going to like my answer, Will. Think about it, guys. Professor Walsh created Adam as a kind of super soldier. What if he's trying to make more like him?"

"Good Lord." Giles ripped off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Wouldn't he need parts and shit for that?" Faith's leg bounced up and down.

Buffy spun around, face ashen. "He's already got them." Everyone stared at her. "When I got the grand tour, Riley showed me the containment cells for the captured demons," she explained. "They don't have room for many, though. Maybe there were cells I didn't see."

"What ab-about the human parts?" Tara asked. "Wouldn't Adam n-need people to mix with the demons?"

"B's boy toy and his crew fit the bill." Willow watched Buffy at Faith's comment. Her best friend paled, then blushed. "May be more than just soldier bodies, too," Faith went on. "What if B didn't get that drug by mistake?

"Why-" Willow broke off as Faith's point suddenly became clear. "Oh, Goddess. That's what Spike meant."

"Um, Will, for those of us lacking your large and amazing brain, you wanna explain?" Buffy cocked her head, obviously not following.

"All of the Marines in Riley's unit were getting the drug. It…" Willow struggled for the right words, "it alters emotions. All emotions, and turns them into aggression and anger. Like Riley in the bar, or you in the kitchen. No fear, no hesitation, just a need to go out and fight." She swallowed hard, looking from Buffy to Faith. "For Slayers, I bet it has another side effect."


	20. Chapter 20

"Perfect. Another benefit to being a Slayer." Willow winced at the bitterness in Buffy's voice. "And just what prize did Faith and I win this time?"

"Well, I…" Willow broke off, unable to meet the accusations in Buffy's eyes. She hadn't _meant_ to find a connection between Adam and Buffy's Calling. Gritting her teeth, Willow forced herself to go on. "I don't know for sure. What if Adam wants to use the Slayer in his creations?"

"What?" Giles sat forward in his chair.

Tara looked worried. "Are you sure, Willow?

"You mean, he thinks Faith and Buffy are just going to go to the Dark Side?" Xander asked.

A flurry of questions broke out all at once. Willow listened to the cacophony, head pounding. "Shut up!" Maybe not the best choice, given her headache, but the voices stopped. "I don't have all the answers. It just makes sense. Buffy, Faith, you both made comments at Willie's about the Slayer. It sounded like she was something completely separate from you."

She looked at Buffy. The blonde Slayer gazed at the floor.

"You're almost there, Red." Faith's voice was quiet, completely lacking her usual bravado. "For me, the Slayer…it's more like a voice. When the adrenaline starts flowing, the voice whispers, taunts, screams for more. There's a_ need_ to fight."

Giles stood up. "I believe it's got to do with the way the First Slayer was created. The originating spell acted very much like Adam's laboratory. The essence of a demon was melded into the body and mind of a young girl. The Council, at the time, felt the only way to defeat the forces of darkness was to harness some of that power for their own use."

The Scoobies absorbed that information in silence. Their expressions, though, gave away their feelings about the Council and their treatment of the First Slayer.

"In other words, it might be possible for Adam to split the Slayer from Buffy and Faith?" Joyce glared at Giles. "How do we keep that from happening?"

"It's theoretically possible, I suppose." Giles sounded frustrated. "However, there have been no documented cases of anyone trying. I haven't the faintest notion of how to even attempt such a thing."

Tara picked up when Giles broke off. "Magic." She blushed when everyone looked at her. "He has to reverse the original spell the Council used.'

Her response didn't impress the ex-Watcher. Willow saw Giles grimace in distaste. "Young woman, magic is not the answer to everything. After all this time, it would be impossible to remove the First Slayer's essence from Buffy and Faith, by magic or any other means."

"I don't know, Giles. It makes sense." Buffy raised her head and met his eyes. "Let's not rule it out so fast. What else could Adam want with a Slayer?"

"Buffy, we cannot afford to waste more time-" Giles started.

A slim hand snapped up, cutting him off. "You're the one who's always telling me to consider all the options before making a decision." Buffy's voice was clipped and angry. "What is it with you and magic? Tara and Willow are trying to help, and every time they have a suggestion, you shoot them down."

Giles' hands curled into fists on his thighs, and he pressed his lips tightly together.

Willow held her breath. The atmosphere in the room was charged with tension as Buffy and Giles glared at one another. Remembering Buffy's actions at the bar, Willow started to stand, afraid the two might actually get physical.

"Jesus, B. Power down." Faith's voice shattered the scene. "You're both missing the fucking point." She held up a hand, stopping Joyce's instinctive protest at her language.

"What point might that be?" Willow had never heard Giles sound quite so stuffy and British.

Hands rubbing the thighs of her pants, Faith looked at the ex-Watcher. "Adam wants to add the Slayer to his arsenal. That means he thinks it's an upgrade."

"Holy shmoly!" Xander sat forward so fast he almost knocked Anya off the arm of the chair. "Good point, Faith."

"And again, I'm missing something." Buffy sounded more tired than angry. "Xan, Faith, we've been at this a long time. We're tired. Either this waits until we get some rest, and maybe I can understand the big words, or you try explaining everything in great detail."

No one seemed to know how to respond to that. Willow watched the gang look at each other. Finally, Joyce stood up and clapped her hands. "Bedtime. No more big and important discussions until we all rest."

"I'm not sure-" Giles started to object.

"I _am_ sure. Right now, a first grader with a water gun could beat all of us combined." Joyce glared around the room. "What are you all waiting for? Find a room, find a bed, and start sleeping."

Faith was the first to react. "I ain't arguing. Been trying to get some sleep since I got to this joint."

Willow considered sleeping where she sat. She was so tired; letting her eyes drop closed, she gave in to the exhaustion.

"Wills?" Buffy held out a hand in a silent offer to help her up. "Don't fall asleep here. There's plenty of room in the back. You'll be all broken if you sleep on the floor."

"Too tired," Willow whined. Still, she let Buffy pull her to her feet. She shivered and flushed when her friend didn't release her hand.

Buffy gently dragged her out of the living room and into the large suite where Buffy had napped earlier. "Here, climb under the covers." Buffy's voice was soft and beguiling.

Willow fought that voice. She didn't want Buffy so close right now. "Where are you going to be?" The words sounded harsh, almost angry.

"I…" Buffy cleared her throat. "Here?" she asked hesitantly.

"Buffy," Willow's voice wavered, "I don't think that's a good idea." She blinked away sudden tears. She was too tired to deal with this right now.

She watched Buffy wrap her arms around her stomach. "Yeah. Sorry." The Slayer backed toward the door. Her hand was on the doorknob when Willow heard her whisper, "I remember, Will. Everything."

Buffy turned the knob, wanting to run again. Willow didn't want her here. Even the thought made her friend cry.

"Wait!" Willow's soft plea stopped her on the threshold.

Huddling against the partially open door, Buffy peered over her shoulder. "Yeah?" She forced the word from a tight throat.

"What do you mean, you remember?" Buffy flinched at the mix of pain and hope in Willow's voice. Green eyes begged her to answer.

Buffy closed the door again and turned so she could lean her back against the heavy wood. "After the thing in Willie's, I started to get flashes." Searching for words, Buffy hunched her shoulders. "Little things, really. You and me in the Bronze. Riley…" her voice trailed off. When she spoke again, the words were mere whispers, "…kissing you."

Movement drew her eyes up. Willow now sat on the bed, her head in her hands.

"Will, I'm sorry." The slim shoulders shook. Willow was crying. Buffy took an instinctive step forward, reaching out to her friend – then stopped. Just a minute ago, Willow hadn't wanted her anywhere close. "Tell me what to do, Will. I'll do it. Anything." Her voice broke. "I never wanted to hurt you. I swear."

"I need to know, Buffy," Willow whispered hoarsely. "Why are you sorry? For the kiss? For forgetting? Why?"

Shoving her shaking hands deep into her pockets, Buffy swallowed audibly. Her throat ached. It hurt to breathe. Pulling in air through her nose, she choked out, "For hurting you. For making you doubt my friendship." Tears welled over and burned a steady path down her face. "For telling you I loved you and then not remembering."

Willow's sobs were audible now. The sound pushed Buffy into action. Quick steps brought her to the bed, and she knelt on the floor next to Willow's knees. "Shh, Wills. It's going to get better. I promise." She inched closer, wrapping her arms around Willow's waist and resting her cheek on the redhead's thigh.

Tentative fingers combed through her hair. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have freaked like that." A watery chuckle sounded over Buffy's head. "I mean, if I spazzed over you suddenly not being entirely straight, that makes sense. You forgetting the most important moment of my life? What was I thinking?"

Buffy raised her head, gazing into Willow's damp green eyes. "We need to talk, but not now, OK?" She released her grip on Willow's waist and lightly stroked a thumb over the freckled face. "We need to get some sleep. No way do I want Adam to win. I've got some serious relationshippy things waiting."

"As soon as this is over, Buffy," Willow whispered back. "I don't want to wait or go slow like we decided earlier."

Nodding her agreement, Buffy stood. "Whatever you want, Wills. Now," her voice got firm, "get in bed. I don't want my girlfriend to be too tired to cheer from the sidelines when I beat Adam to a pulp."

Her cocky comment got an eye roll as Willow slipped under the covers and wiggled to the far side of the large bed. "You better get in here, too." Willow's grin showed all her teeth. "You've had a busy couple of days. I want you in fighting trim when we go against Adam."

"Don't have to ask me twice." Buffy pulled off her shoes and climbed in next to Willow. Still leery of pushing too hard, she left several inches of space between them.

The space didn't last long. A warm body snuggled in close.

Buffy shuddered at the touch. Combing her fingers through the red hair, Buffy fought her body. They needed sleep.

Willow didn't help the situation. Green eyes peered up at her, and a teasing smile spread slowly over Willow's lips. "Whatcha thinking, Buffy?"

"You're evil." The words came out deep and husky. Desire raged.

"I am not." Buffy could hear the smile. Warm lips pressed against her neck. "I just need smoochies…and more."

Pulling in a sharp breath, Buffy expected to incinerate on the spot. She had to be strong. They had a big battle on the horizon. Sleep was more important than making love right now. Staying very still, Buffy worked on ignoring her arousal. "Sounds divine, Wills. Not now, though. We need sleep. Lots of sleep. I'll be all worried about you and not concentrate on Adam if you don't stop with the kissing and go to sleep."

"Now who's evil?" Buffy watched Willow's lower lip pop out.

"Wills…" she pleaded desperately.

Finally, Willow gave in. She rested her head on Buffy's shoulder. "Good night, Buffy." She kissed Buffy's neck softly one more time and yawned.

"Night, Will." Laying her right arm over Willow's shoulder, Buffy closed her eyes, drifting into sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Buffy woke slowly, a definite change to the norm. Keeping her eyes closed, she extended her senses. There wasn't anything threatening nearby, just warmth and a new feeling of contentment. Sighing, she settled in, enjoying the sensations. Buffy enjoyed the non-thinking, just feeling time. It didn't last long. After only a few minutes of peace, flashes of memories and emotions from the last week invaded her mind. She stiffened, trying a meditation technique to push them back. She didn't want to have to deal with all of the recent events.

"I know you're awake, Buffy." Buffy frowned at Willow's forceful statement.

"Want more sleep, Will. Go away," she mumbled. Buffy kept her eyes resolutely closed.

Willow wasn't cooperating. The warmth wrapped around Buffy shifted. "You don't want to sleep, Buffy. You want to hide. It's kinda a habit with you." There was a hint of a snap in the usually chirpy voice.

"Fine. Be that way." Prying her eyes open, Buffy glanced into Willow's green ones. "I'm not avoiding, not really. I was just…waiting for the right moment." She tried a grin, hoping to charm Willow out of her mood.

"And precisely when did you think this perfect moment might happen?" Willow inquired gently. Buffy didn't trust that gentleness. She could feel how tense Willow's muscles were where they pressed against her. "After this morning's Scooby meeting? After Adam?" The smooth voice started to rise. "Wait. I bet I know…when we close the Hellmouth and you retire." Willow's voice was probably audible down the block.

Blushing at the accuracy of the words, Buffy shrugged. "About then, yeah." She took a quick breath and rushed on, not wanting Willow to get any angrier. "Guess that's not what we agreed to last night, huh?"

"Nope. Last night you were all with the need to share." Willow crossed her arms over Buffy's chest and propped her chin on her forearms. "Why the change? You aren't about to go Super Slayer again, are you?"

A quick internal check made Buffy's "No," sound convincing. "All systems are normal." She cleared her throat, feeling awkward and shy. "I was afraid you might feel differently this morning. Less hyper and in the moment, you know?" Buffy held her breath, praying she had been wrong.

"Buffy." Willow's tone was so serious, Buffy had to look up. Tears misted her eyes, and she braced for the worst. "Buffy, I didn't change my mind in the middle of the night. I thought we'd cleared things up when we came to bed."

"I…I thought so, too, just, this morning…" Buffy bit back a sob of relief, and felt the Slayer growl in disgust at her weakness.

Willow moved again. This time, she flopped onto the bed and pulled Buffy close. "Wow. I thought I had confidence issues." Buffy's eyes widened. "Yeah, I recognize the problem. Remember me? Vowel-sound Willow? The girl who crushed on Xander 'cause he was the only guy who would talk to her?"

"I liked that girl," Buffy protested, snuggling into Willow and hiding her face in the redhead's shoulder. She struggled with the knowledge that Willow understood her fears. She was the Slayer. Buffy believed, deep inside, she wasn't supposed to _be_ afraid.

"Thanks. I'm glad," Willow said dryly. "That wasn't my point." She stroked her fingers through Buffy's hair, and Buffy's eyes drifted closed. Damn, that felt unbelievably good. Willow continued, "My point was – I understand being afraid of relationships, Buffy. I'm not exactly as suave as I might look."

Buffy couldn't resist checking that out. She moved her head back slightly, peering up with one eye. "Wow. Suave Willow. I really like her." She expected laughter or a joke. Willow glared instead. "Oops. Let me guess. That wasn't the point, either."

"Goddess, Buffy, are you still on drugs?" Willow was clearly frustrated. Buffy watched her freckles stand out against a dark blush. "It's like you're three completely different people lately. Normal, 'I've known her for years' Buffy, Psycho Slayer's Twin Sister Buffy, and Avoidance Buffy."

Buffy hid her face again, the words echoing through her mind. "You're right," she replied softly. "I have been different lately." She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Her thoughts zoomed in all directions. It was so hard to focus. "I don't think it's the drugs anymore, though, Will. I can't feel anything like the anger. Now that I'm back to normal, I can probably tell you when they started feeding them to me."

Needing more physical contact, she laid her right arm across Willow's waist. "All these different Buffys, though, they've always been there. I've just been hiding them. Maybe the drug did something more than make me mad."

Willow's hand drifted over Buffy's neck and shoulder. Fighting a shudder, Buffy felt her heart rate speed up. "It's possible," Willow said. The words were barely audible over the pounding in her chest. "We'd have to do some more research, though. It could be how Adam's planning on separating the Slayer from the human." A slender finger brushed over Buffy's ear.

"Will!" Buffy gasped. "Stop. You gotta stop." The Slayer was roaring, and Buffy felt her control slipping. Fear sent additional adrenaline surging through her. No way was the Slayer getting its hands on Willow. Buffy roared back, pushing the primal need away.

Willow had frozen at the breathless command, hand still cupping Buffy's neck. "Is something wrong?"

If she'd had the ability, Buffy would have laughed. "Wrong? Oh, no, not unless you consider the fact that I'm about to burst into flames from just your touch and the Slayer is going crazy trying to get out and do unspeakable things to your body." It came out a little harsher than she'd intended, and Buffy hung her head. She couldn't seem to find a happy medium for her emotions.

Willow blinked at Buffy's tirade. "You…the Slayer…Oh, Goddess." She actually felt herself turn red. "Wow." A grin broke out. "Really?" The Slayer wanted her that much?

"You're supposed to scream and run for the door." Buffy sounded a little upset that she wasn't.

"Oh, sorry." Except, she wasn't at all sorry. The giddiness bubbled over. Willow threw her arms around Buffy and squeezed.

Buffy grunted slightly. "You're still not running."

"I'm not going to. Duh!" Willow glared at Buffy – or tried. The grin wouldn't go away. "Face it, Buffy, you're the one who's scared, not me. If we're planning on doing the girlfriend thing, you're _supposed_ to get all…um, hot when I touch you. If you didn't, then I'd worry."

"And the Slayer?" Buffy pushed.

Willow hesitated. She remembered the wild, almost animalistic look in Buffy's eyes at Willie's. Then she looked into Buffy's eyes, here, in the bedroom of the safe house, and saw only love and fear. Pushing her own mixed thoughts on the Slayer out of the way, she nodded resolutely. "The Slayer is part of you, Buffy. I can't have one without the other, unless Adam wins. I'd say that's a bad option all the way around."

She felt Buffy relax slightly. Rubbing her hands over Buffy's shoulders, Willow waited. Buffy had to work things out in her own head before they could move on. "I don't ever want to hurt you, Will."

Blinking against tears, Willow realized Buffy was terrified of her own Calling. "Wanting something doesn't always make it happen, Buffy. No matter what, I know you won't _willingly_ hurt me. It might happen, though."

"No! I won't let it." Buffy pulled away, rolling off the bed.

"How?" Willow asked, voice rising. She had to win this argument. Losing meant losing Buffy. Hands clenched in the sheets, Willow ignored the sick feeling roiling in her stomach. "Do you want me to shackle you in Oz's old chains when we make love? Or are you saying we won't ever get that far? I'm not letting you run, Buffy. Not now. I may not be a great witch, but I have enough power to keep you in this room, Slayer or not."

Throwing the covers off, Willow slipped out of bed and stalked toward Buffy. The Slayer actually flinched back a step. "Will, let's think about this," Buffy pleaded.

"Nope. I'm all done thinking." Willow stopped well inside Buffy's personal space. "This is it, Buffy. No more talking, or thinking, or analyzing. It's time to feel and be." From somewhere deep inside, confidence blossomed. Willow gripped Buffy's waist, pulling the blonde against her. "I love you, Buffy."

Willow knew she would never forget the brilliant smile she got in response to her declaration . "I love you, too, Will."

Her own smile brightened before transforming into a smirk. "Then what are we doing out of bed, huh?" Bending her head, Willow brushed her lips over Buffy's. "If we wait too long, you know someone's knocking on that door."

"That would be…" Buffy kissed her back, "terrible."

"Yeah." Stepping away, Willow walked backward until her knees bumped the mattress. "I think we need to make sure terrible never happens." Hands shaking slightly, Willow unbuttoned her blouse. "Wanna give me a hand?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

Buffy didn't seem all that capable of helping. Her wide hazel eyes locked onto the pale skin Willow had just revealed before skittering away.

Willow removed the shirt entirely. "Buffy?" She bit back a grin when Buffy jerked and snapped her head around.

"Yeah, Will?" Buffy's voice sounded far higher than normal.

"You aren't helping." Willow waved her blouse. "I'm having to do all the work myself." She hoped her teasing sounded less cheesy to Buffy than it did in her head.

It must have because Buffy suddenly surged forward. "We can't have that. You should just lie back and let me take care of the rest."

Goosebumps erupted all over her body. Willow sucked in several fast, shallow breaths, suddenly dizzy and hot. She dropped onto the bed. "I want to play, too, Buffy. You don't get to have all the fun." Willow had no intention of letting Buffy control things.

Buffy grinned. "OK. I can go with that plan. First though –" She undid Willow's jeans, yanking them off when Willow lifted her hips.

"Hmmm, that does make things easier." Arching an eyebrow, Willow shivered. Buffy raked her body with eyes darkened almost to copper, and their touch was nearly physical. "I'm a little confused, though." Sliding back on the bed, Willow got comfortable amidst the pillows. "I'm nearly naked. Good for you. You are fully dressed. Not at all good for me."

She gasped when Buffy ripped off her own shirt and tossed it to the floor. "You seemed to be in charge, Will. I was just waiting for you to tell me what you wanted."

"Oh." Willow coughed. Her voice was lodged somewhere deep in her throat. "Wish I'd known that earlier. I could have been watching my own private strip show a lot earlier."

If she'd hoped to shock Buffy, she miscalculated badly. "Gee, Will, I didn't know you had so much kink in you." Clad in bra and camouflage pants, Buffy straightened to her full height and faced the bed, hands on hips. "This would go better with music." Callused hands ghosted over her own skin, teasing at the waistband of her pants.

Eyes wide, Willow expected to hyperventilate soon. She couldn't seem to get enough oxygen. Buffy was plain evil. Well, sexy, too. Evil and sexy. "Next time, we can have music," she said faintly.

"You alright, Will? You sound a little funny." Willow narrowed her eyes at Buffy's smirk. Narrowed became heavy lidded when Buffy finally unfastened her BDUs and ever so slowly pushed them over her hips and down her legs.

"Goddess, if you think I _sound_ funny," Willow mumbled, "you'd completely wig over what I'm feeling." Buffy in lingerie. Willow's dazed mind couldn't get past the image of lace and tanned skin.

Buffy wasn't done tormenting, though. "So, you aren't feeling OK?" She reached behind her, breasts jutting forward. "I should stop undressing then. I'll just put everything back on and go get Giles. I'm sure he'll know what to do."

"Buffy!" It was a growl. Willow didn't even bother to figure out exactly how she'd made that noise. "Don't you dare stop now." She could feel her muscles tensing. The cotton of her underwear clung to her damp sex. "Finish it."

"What did they say in that movie you made me and Xan watch?" Buffy reached back again, and her bra sagged forward. Willow breathed in shallow pants, eyes dilated. "As you wish…" Her arms dropped, the skimpy bra slipping down and off. "You ready for the final unveiling?"

No longer trusting her voice, Willow nodded frantically. She'd passed ready a long time ago.


	22. Chapter 22

Buffy slid her thumbs under the waistband of her panties, and slowly began to push them down. Willow's body shook with minute tremors, hands gripping the sheets. "Buffy!" she begged. "Too slow."

A teasing smile greeted her words, and hazel eyes met hers. "You said you wanted a show, Willow. I don't want to disappoint you."

Willow swallowed audibly as Buffy finally finished undressing and straightened. The view was even better than she'd imagined. Despite the strip tease, Willow noticed Buffy's confidence wasn't total. The blonde shifted nervously from foot to foot, and her arms moved restlessly, almost – but not quite – covering her front. "Oh, baby, I'm so not disappointed. Come here." Willow held out a hand. "Please," she continued when Buffy hesitated.

Moving with small steps, Buffy finally made it to the bed. "Sorry, Wills," she mumbled. "I can't believe how freaked I suddenly am."

"And I'm not?" Willow asked with a grin. She poked Buffy in the arm. "I'm not exactly an expert on girl lovin,' you know." Relaxing slightly at Buffy's laugh, she said, "We've been best friends for years. Do you trust me…us, enough to figure this out? Do you _want_ us to figure this out?"

Buffy looked up, meeting her eyes. "I trust you with my life, Will." A crooked smile flashed. "In fact, I trust you with my heart."

Tears blurred her vision, and Willow choked down a sob. This wasn't the time for tears. It also wasn't the time for jumping up and down and squealing with joy; though, that was the feeling sending energy through her body. No longer afraid, Willow leaned in and kissed Buffy.

Buffy stiffened in her arms; Willow didn't pull away, though. Brushing her lips repeatedly over the blonde's, she simply waited.

Finally, strong arms wrapped around her. Cheering internally, Willow pulled back a little. Buffy's eyes were dark and soft. "Everything OK in your head now?"

Buffy cupped Willow's face. Lids growing heavy, Willow shivered at the touch of Buffy's thumb on her lips. "Everything's fine, Willow. Just fine."

Catching the caressing thumb in her lips, Willow nibbled lightly before releasing it. "What are you waiting for, then? Did you suddenly decide to step away from the butch attitude you've been using lately?"

"Butch, huh?" Buffy frowned, eyes narrowing.

Willow scrambled to regroup. "Um, what I meant was…I mean, you aren't really butch butch. No flannel in your closet. Maybe soft butch? Kinda butch around the edges?" she babbled. The flood of words tapered off when she saw Buffy's grin. "Not nice. I was worried." Willow pouted, lower lip stuck out exaggeratedly.

"Can't have that, can we?" Buffy purred.

Willow shivered, heat and cold vying for supremacy at the sound. "What are you going to do to fix it, Slayer?" Her voice squeaked at the end.

The answer didn't involve words. Closing her eyes, Willow tilted her head, giving Buffy's lips better access to her throat. She combed her fingers through blonde hair as heat raced through her. Lips and tongue still traced over Willow's skin as Buffy lowered her to the mattress.

Buffy made quick work of removing Willow's bra, and her panties ended in a heap of ruined material on the floor. "Let me know if you need more fixing, Wills," Buffy murmured as her lips slipped lower.

Willow arched and gasped when Buffy took her right nipple into her mouth. Her fingers gripped Buffy's hair. A rough tongue scraped over a hard nub. "Buffy!" The word exploded from her mouth. "Dear Goddess."

Faith's eyes flew open at the sounds coming from Buffy's room. "Uh, T?" she moved quickly, grabbing the hand raised to knock. "You don't want to do that."

"Mr. Giles asked us to get everyone for the meeting." Tara looked confused, blue eyes peering at Faith uncertainly. "I-is som-something wrong?"

"Nah." Faith shoved her hands in her pockets, rocking on her heels. "Just, uh, Slayer hearing and all. B and Red are talking right now." Faith steered Tara down the hallway. "It sounded intense." She stifled a smirk. "Very intense."

She got a bewildered look in return. Tara seemed to crumple in on herself. Faith watched as she hunched her shoulders, hair slipping forward to obscure her face. Even after such a short time in her company, Faith guessed the hair hid a bright blush.

Reaching out hesitantly, Faith laid her hand on the other girl's arm. "Hey," she said softly, "it's no big. The girls have a lot to talk about. B's been kinda all over the place lately. I'm sure Red's getting the 'best friend' low down," Faith lied, surprised at her need to make Tara feel better.

Her actions were rewarded with a tiny smile and a pair of blue eyes peeking through the waterfall of hair. "Th-thanks, Faith. I'm sure you're ri-right."

Faith smiled in return – then remembered herself. The smile mutated into a smirk. "Whatever, T. Let's see what the gang has to say this morning." She spun on a heel, striding for the living room.

Only Buffy and Willow were missing. Faith grabbed one of the ever present "Scooby Meeting Doughnuts" and flopped onto the couch. Giles cleared his throat just as she took a huge bite. "Are Buffy and Willow on their way?"

She rolled her eyes at him, chewing exaggeratedly. Faith barely resisted the urge to answer him with her mouth full. However, she could feel Joyce staring at her, probably waiting for her to do just that. Finally, she swallowed. "They seem to be in the middle of their own meeting." A grin broke out of her control. Meeting. That was a good word for it. "I'm sure they'll be out when they've finished…talking."

Ooops. Faith's eyes widened, her grin dying, as Joyce stood up. "I'll go hurry things up. If Buffy is planning on going after this Adam thing, she and Willow need to be here."

"No!" The disagreement might have been a hair too enthusiastic. Faith scowled at the confused looks she got from the gang. "Look, I just think B and Red need a chance to work out their issues, that's all. I'm here." No one appeared reassured by that statement. Muscles tightening at their lack of confidence, Faith ground out, "I'm the one that's got this all figured out. Not B. I ain't waiting while you go interrupt and drag them out here." She glared at Joyce. "It's now or never, Mrs. S. You're stuck with me as the Slayer for the moment."

Joyce hesitated, and Faith felt her stomach knot. "Look, I get you still don't trust me." She forced herself to look around the room, meeting the five pairs of eyes. "I ain't here to join the Dark Side or try to kill anyone. Can we just do this?" The words were angry; inside, though, Faith was braced for rejection.

"Alright, honey. Don't panic." Joyce shrugged. "Buffy has a habit of trying to avoid big and important conversations, that's all. I didn't want you to have to deal with all of our questions and _then _have to explain a second time when the girls showed up."

_Shit_. Faith leaned back on the couch, trying to regain her cool. "No big." Joyce's eyebrow rose as she returned to her chair. "Just wanted you to know I can handle this without B holding my hand." That was better. For safe measure, she smirked. "Nice to know you all trust me so much, too."

Sounding irritated at the delay, Giles interrupted. "Perhaps we should get started some time today?"

"Sure. I'll get us started." Xander leaned forward from his position at the other end of the couch. "Unless I miss my guess, Faith and I are on the same page."

Faith nodded. "Think so, too, X-Man. Freaky."

He grinned at her. "Very." Giles clearing his throat brought them back to business. "Um, yeah, moving right along." Xander's leg bounced in counterpoint to Faith's as he continued. "We think Adam sees the Slayer as the ultimate soldier. He – and maybe Professor Walsh – used that drug to push Buffy to the edge, wake up the Slayer."

"I still don't see the significance of that." Giles whipped his glasses off, chewing on the earpiece.

"That's where you have to look outside the box, G-man." Faith rubbed her hands together. "If he's willing to go to all that trouble, then maybe Adam thinks adding the Slayer to the new demons makes them better." She frowned when Giles still looked confused. "Hell, Giles, think about it. It's an improvement. Maybe Adam can't beat the Slayer. That's why he wants to add it to the next generation of monsters."

Tara raised a hand before saying quietly, "Didn't Bu-Buffy say he was too strong for her, though?"

Nodding, Faith pointed a finger at Tara. "That's just it, T," she said excitedly, "he beat _Buffy_. B ain't really been good at making friends with the Slayer. She's always too in control for that." She stood abruptly and paced in front of the couch. "Once that drug started working on her, though, she was way different. Violent, angry. The Slayer was out and ready to play. I don't think Adam stands a chance against that."

"That's-" Giles broke off, leaning back in his chair and peering at the ceiling.

Faith stopped pacing, watching him tensely. She knew she was right. It _felt_ right. Still, Giles has to agree. Faith _needed_ him to agree.

Finally, he leaned forward. Faith forgot to breathe. "I cannot imagine how Professor Walsh came up with that idea." Oh, God. Impossibly, Faith's muscles tensed even more. He wasn't going for it. "However, it does make a rather interesting theory," Giles continued.

"Yes!" It exploded from Faith's mouth before she could censor it. Grinning hugely, she pointed at Xander. "See, we aren't always the fuck ups." They shared an enthusiastic high five.

Giles, of course, wasn't amused by the display. "While that may be Adam's reasoning, we are no closer to finding a solution to the problem, Faith. Do you and Xander have any ideas about that?"

"Uh…" Eyes wide, Faith looked at Xander, "I thought that was someone else's job."

Tara came to her rescue. "We n-need to find out how he pl-planned to separate the Slayer from Buffy. Willow and I can maybe find a way to block the spell."

"That still leaves us the problem of how to beat Adam himself." Joyce leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Faith, with both you and Buffy here, is it possible you'd be strong enough to fight him?"

Faith might have basked in the trust that question implied if she'd had a real answer. "No way to tell, Mrs. S. B might have a better idea; or we may have to test it out." She frowned, hands rubbing restlessly on her thighs. "T, you still up for letting Adam find you?"

The blonde head nodded. "Yes." Tara looked at all the Scoobies. "I'm ju-just wondering, though: does Adam know about Faith?"

"Well, I-" Giles sat back, idly twirling his glasses. "I would have thought so; however, Faith would have been an easy target for any experimentation in her coma." He glanced sharply at Tara. "Do you have something in mind?"


	23. Chapter 23

Xander interrupted before Tara could answer. "Wait, guys." He wiggled his eyebrows when everyone looked his way. "As sorry as I am to break the new Faith/Xander connection, there is no way we should get Adam here until we're set for the final showdown."

Stiffening, Faith felt a new wave of insecurity. "Why? I thought we needed to test our thing about the Slayer." Her voice was rough, tight, and she hoped the gang didn't notice how much she wanted them to back her up.

Xander turned so he was leaning against the arm of the couch, looking directly at Faith. "It was a good plan. When we still thought the answer was some magical fireworks." Running a hand through his hair, he smiled slightly. "Things change. From the conversation, I'm getting we don't think Adam knows you're here. Or that there is even a you to be here."

"So?" Faith didn't want to relax too soon. He might still say she was a poor substitute for the 'real' Slayer.

"If he doesn't know, why tell him?" Xander asked.

It still wasn't making sense; although, Faith didn't think he was bashing her for the earlier suggestion. "Sorry, Xan. I'm still not with you." She met his eyes and shrugged. "Guess our new Wonder Twin powers were a fluke."

He grinned goofily. "Nah. They're still here. Sometimes even Zan and Jayna took a while to catch on. Look. If Adam doesn't know there are two Slayers, and he's already beaten Buffy once, he thinks he's got us. All he has to do is sit back and wait for us to resurface."

"Good Lord." Faith rolled her eyes at Giles' excited comment. Didn't people from England have any other phrases? "He may not have to wait for long."

No one asked him to explain. They simply sat and waited. Faith's leg bounced from the new tension until she couldn't tale the silence any longer. "Spill, G-man. You think Adam is going to find us somehow? Through T, maybe?" She was already thinking about defenses. Maybe interrupting Buffy and Willow wasn't such a bad idea.

Just before she jumped up, Giles shook his head. "No, Faith. When Buffy came to my apartment after Professor Walsh tried to kill her, she mentioned the Initiative containment cells were overflowing with demons. If Adam has access to all of the Professor's files, he's going to know Buffy won't sit back and let him flood Sunnydale with them. All he has to do is open a few doors, release a few demons…"

"…and Buffy won't be in hiding any longer." Joyce's quiet voice filled in the blank. "I guess being the Slayer makes you predictable." She didn't sound happy with that thought.

Faith was out of ideas. She looked blindly around the room, hoping one of the others would step in, bail her out.

"We still need more information on Adam." Anya finally rejoined the conversation from her spot by Xander. "I mean, it's great that Buffy on steroids is better than just plain Buffy. All you have, though, is some lame idea and no real information on what makes Adam tick."

"An, honey, I think we all know that." Faith hid a smirk as Xander patted Anya's thigh.

Tara shifted on the floor, tucking her hair behind an ear. "We may know it. We aren't doing anything about it."

The words just added to Faith's sudden feeling of inadequacy. When she'd been a Junior Scooby last year, Buffy always made this part look easy. The gang did the research, offered options, and then they went off to kill the demon. Why wasn't it working the same way this time?

"You know, for two supposedly straight girls, we did OK with the girl lovins." Buffy nuzzled her head into the hollow of Willow's throat. Relaxed, sated, she refused to think of anything outside the room.

The body underneath her vibrated with laughter. "It's not like we didn't know all the parts, Buffy. Did you think we needed a manual? Maybe a diagram with little comments: rub here, lick there?"

Flushing slightly, Buffy nipped at Willow's neck. "Meanie." She nipped again, hearing the sudden inhalation of Willow's breathing. "I was _trying_ to tell you I'd never…um…" Breaking off, she tried to force the words past her own embarrassment. "It was good, Will. _You_ were good." Deep inside, Buffy felt the Slayer growl a sleepy agreement.

She didn't get the response she expected. In fact, Willow stiffened at her compliment.

"Will?" Contentment flickered. "Will?" Buffy sat up, eyes immediately searching for Willow's.

Long lashes hid the normally bright green eyes. Freckles stood out sharply against a fiery blush. Shy Willow had replaced her confident lover. Buffy could handle shy. Freaked, scared, or hurt Willow…Thankfully, none of those were in the room.

Buffy relaxed again, lips twitching into a mischievous smile. With slow, deliberate movements, she spread herself over the blushing redhead. "Hmmm. I'm still not getting an answer. Guess that means maybe I did something wrong." She planted light, teasing kisses over a pale shoulder. "If I try again, maybe I'll get it right this time."

Unfortunately, the expected interruption finally happened. A shrill beeping cut through the room.

"Ignore it," she ordered Willow. Tuning out the irritating sound, she went back to work on Willow's warm skin. It didn't take long, though, for her to realize the mood was broken.

"Aren't you going to get that?" Willow asked, moved restlessly. Glancing up, Buffy noticed the redhead peering across the room toward the continued beeping.

With a not so muffled curse, Buffy rolled out of bed and stalked across the room, searching through the pile of discarded clothes.

"What's going on?" Buffy heard the worry in Willow's voice.

Grabbing the pager out of her pants pocket, Buffy held it up. "Initiative pager. I didn't expect to hear from them again with the Professor dead." Frowning, the euphoria of her time with Willow faded. Satiation was replaced with a growing tension. This couldn't be good. She brought the small box down and peered at the backlit display.

Rustling sounded from the bed and then a warm body pressed into Buffy's back. Looking away from the pager, Buffy met Willow's eyes. "Huh. Graham says he's got some info for us. Wants a meeting."

A tiny chin rested on her shoulder. "Looks like it's time to go back to work." Willow's voice was quiet in the large room.

Buffy's head dropped forward. "Yeah," she mumbled. "Looks like." Body and mind protesting, she wiggled out of Willow's embrace. Starting to dress, she tried to refocus on her job, her Calling. That was hard at the best of times. Now, Buffy struggled with the desire to toss the pager back onto the floor and take Willow back to bed.

"Hey." Buffy's head snapped up at the single word. "It's not the end of the world, Buff." Soft lips lifted in a wide grin. "Not yet, anyway. After you beat Adam, maybe we can sneak back here and hide out for a while. You know, have a private celebration."

Some of Buffy's happiness returned. Enough that she was able to return the grin, wink at Willow. "Excellent plan, Will. Except…we live together. You could just magically lock the dorm room door. All the comforts of home, interruption free."

"Good point," Willow acknowledged. She, too, grabbed her clothes. Once they were both presentable, Buffy ushered Willow from the room, hand resting lightly on the small of Willow's back.

It was a short journey down the hall to the living room. Buffy frowned. The gang was there; though, no one appeared to be researching, and the room was filled with uncomfortable silence.

"Maybe I'm missing something," Buffy said to the quiet group. "Aren't research parties places of turning pages and muffled yawns?"

Willow moved away, heading for a spot on the floor. Buffy stuffed the hand that had been touching Willow into a pocket to avoid reaching out for her girlfriend. Work first. Coming out announcements later.

"Ah," Giles finally responded to her comments, "we seem to be at an impasse."

"Yeah, and we're kinda out of ideas, too," Faith mumbled. "Sorry, B. Hoped we'd have some answers waiting for you after you and Red finished your talk."

Watching Faith closely, Buffy noticed the look of defeat. Faith's shoulders slumped, her head bowed. Needing time to figure out why Faith looked like they'd already lost, Buffy addressed the last part of Faith's statement. "What talk?"

Faith's body language changed so fast Buffy blinked. "You know, the one you just had with Willow." Wide brown eyes tried to send a message. "Tara and I stopped to get you for the meeting, and I could hear you _talking_ inside."

Oh shit. Buffy was sure her blush went from head to toe. "Ah, that talk." Swallowing hard, she carefully avoided looking at Willow – or her mother. "Thanks for letting us take care of that. We really needed to…talk." Buffy rocked on her heels and desperately changed the subject. "So, what was with the long faces when we came in?"

Xander summed it up. "Adam on the loose, no way to beat him."

"Well," Buffy said, feeling on firmer footing with the work-related issue, "I may be able to get us some answers." She tapped the pager once again hooked to her belt. "Graham wants a meeting."


	24. Chapter 24

"Is that wise, Buffy?" Giles queried.

Buffy frowned. "We need information. He has some. Isn't that a good thing?" She wandered over and sat on the floor – near Willow, just not so close to cause comment. Buffy didn't want to push their relationship into the already tense situation. Adam first.

She saw Giles shift in his chair. "We certainly can use information. However, Buffy, I am afraid it might be a trap rather than an actual meeting." He met her eyes and shrugged. "Is there a way to contact Graham and verify the request?"

"I could call Lowell House, I guess." When Giles grimaced, Buffy said defensively, "It isn't like we have a secret code or anything. There was never a problem before Walsh turned out to be some mad scientist and her experiment started killing people."

"What if you don't go to the meeting?" Buffy twisted to look at Xander after his question. He grinned a little. "We need the info, Buffy. Are you the only one who can get it?"

Without thinking, Buffy nodded. "I am the one with the neat Initiative pager."

"Jesus, B. Get over yourself," Faith mocked. "Just because you got all friendly with that uniformed boy toy doesn't mean someone else can't check out the meeting, make sure it's safe."

Buffy glowered at Faith, searching for an appropriately nasty response.

"Hey, before this gets all violent, can we maybe talk about why we think it's a trap and how to deal with it if it is?" Willow broke in. "Everyone take a deep breath and calm down. It's like you've all been drinking the Professor's potion. Less anger, more talking and logic."

Buffy slumped back. Willow was right. Scooby meetings were usually tense; they'd never been so openly hostile before. "Sorry, guys. Guess I'm still a little wound up." She scanned the room, grinning sheepishly. "I'll try to cut back on the psycho bit. I promise."

"My bad, too, B." Buffy's eyes widened. Had Faith actually apologized? "I think we're all kinda tired of the Scooby togetherness. Let's figure this out so we can all go back to our own thing."

"Good idea. Any plans on how to do that?' Willow asked.

Faith glanced at Xander. "Think so. Xan and I'll meet your connection, B. While you were having your big talk, the rest of us decided Adam doesn't know about me. Means he probably isn't on the look out. Xan's got enough military know how to pass for one of the Initiative guys. We'll take a little stroll across campus and see if this Graham has some real information."

It went against the grain to sit back and not be on the front line. Buffy tapped her fingers on the carpet, trying to find another solution. She couldn't come up with one. "Fine." It sounded grudging, so she added a small smile. "Graham saw Faith when we dropped off Riley. It should be enough. If he gives you any trouble, head back and we'll think of something else."

Faith wasted no time. Once Buffy was on board – even reluctantly – she sprang off the couch. "Let's go, X-man. Time for a little action."

"Now? Don't we need to make a plan? Grab some weapons?" Xander climbed off the couch, kissing a pouting Anya before following Faith out of the room.

"Plan on the way. And weapons?" She raised an eyebrow. "It's daylight. No vamps. We're going instead of Buffy because Adam probably isn't looking for us. You want to pack to visit the co-eds?"

Faith grinned when Xander held up both hands in a gesture of surrender.

Smacking him on the shoulder, she opened the kitchen door and led the way outside. "Besides, think about it. Did you want to be there when B finds out she has to get all cozy with the Slayer?"

"Good point. Very, very good point." Xander squinted in the bright sunlight. "Alright. We avoid a Buffy freak and maybe find out how to beat Adam. Both good things." He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his camouflage pants, jingling his keys. "You think this is a trap?"

"Don't know." Faith walked as fast as she dared. Leaving Xander behind wasn't an option, but the sleep hadn't helped with her excess energy. "This Graham seemed OK the other night, and he wasn't too happy with his bosses. Maybe it's exactly what B said. A chance to pass on some information."

Downtown Sunnydale looked deserted. Not even midday shoppers or business people wandered the sidewalks. Faith frowned. It wasn't normal. Only at night were the streets quiet. Despite the bright sunlight, she let her senses roam. Nothing close.

Xander noticed her preoccupation. "Something wrong?" He tensed, eyes roaming the street.

"Can't feel anything." They'd picked up the pace by unspoken agreement. "Just wasn't expecting the whole lack of people." Faith glanced at Xander. "Kinda thinking I should have let you grab the gun."

"No." Surprised by the response, Faith turned her head. He smirked. "Look, we don't want to call attention to ourselves. My outfit is bad enough. Luckily, with the Initiative running around, anybody we meet won't think too hard about it. Add a gun…"

It made sense. "Right. Guess I've got a lot to learn from the new Xander." Faith smirked. "Not much of the Zeppo left, huh?" Wanting to keep things from spiraling into a rehash of the past, she jostled his shoulder. "Looks good on you. All that confidence is sexy."

She thought she'd overplayed her hand for a minute. Xander stiffened, glaring at her. Scrambling for a way to undo her error, Faith wasn't expecting the return shove to her shoulder. "Be careful, Faith. Anya gets a little touchy when women ogle her personal sex toy."

The laughter felt good. Faith grinned at Xander. "Possessive, is she? Must mean you're worth keeping." Her dimples flashed as a blush covered Xander's face. "No worries, then. I'll just have to be on the look out for my own toy. Don't want your girl to come after me."

As they left downtown behind and entered the edge of the UC-Sunnydale campus, Faith and Xander sobered. Faith's Slayer senses screamed. "Damn. What the hell's going on here? My head's about to blow off from all the demons and shit."

"Welcome to Adam's playground." Xander swept the area alertly. "The Initiative base is under the campus. You're probably picking up the demons Buffy saw in the cells."

Faith swallowed hard. From the strength of her internal response, the demons numbered in the hundreds. Even being in City Hall with the Mayor's crew hadn't been this bad. "I can see why B's so hyped to take care of this. Adam's bad, yeah, but all those demons…Even without him in the picture, she'd have a tough time taking on numbers that big."

The sound of footsteps heading their way interrupted. Faith raised her hand, signaling Xander to stop. Muscles tensed for a fight, she waited.

Graham pounded down the sidewalk. "Change in plans," he gasped out, not slowing. "Run. "

"OK, gang. Someone want to fill me and Will in while we grab some breakfast?" Buffy stood up, rubbing her stomach. "I'm starving."

Joyce stood as well, moving toward the kitchen. "I can get you some eggs, toast, and bacon. If we're going to be here much longer, I'll have to do another supply run. Two Slayers and Xander mean we go through a lot of food."

Willow hesitantly joined her best friend/girlfriend in the kitchen. She'd known Joyce since the early days; suddenly, her favorite mom-type figure made her nervous. Perching on a chair, she watched Joyce quickly beat some eggs and pour them into a skillet. "Did you guys come up with anything?"

The sound of Joyce moving the slowly hardening eggs around was loud.

"Um, hello?" Willow tried to smile. "It was just a question. Feel free to jump right in with answers."

Eventually Giles spoke up. "Yes, well, Faith and Xander believe that two Slayers can defeat Adam." Willow watched as he snatched off his glasses and began cleaning them.

"That's it? That's the grand plan?" Buffy sounded incredulous. "I know the Chosen Two were a force to be reckoned with; I just don't think you realize how bad Adam kicked my ass the last time."

Giles replaced his glasses. "Indeed." He cleared his throat, fidgeting where he stood in the doorway. "There…ah, there were a few suggested alterations to your last battle plan."

"You mean the one where I tried not to become a grease spot on the floor?" Willow winced as Buffy's voice rose. The blonde's impatient comments weren't helping. Giles stared at the floor, lips pressed tightly together.

"Buffy, give him a chance to explain, OK?" Willow met hazel eyes with a muted version of Resolve Face.

Buffy resisted, and Willow turned up the volume on her resolve. Buffy crumbled. Slumping into her seat, she waved an apologetic hand at the room.

"Oh, for God's sake," Anya burst into the conversation. "Just tell her already." Giles remained silent, and Willow hid a grin as Anya threw her hands in the air. "Fine. I'll do it. Buffy," she announced, voice ringing, "you can't beat Adam. Your Slayer can."

A/N: Special thanks to Lilly, who recently joined the beta crew, for talking me through some plot issues. When this one finally moves forward, she's the reason.


	25. Chapter 25

Willow whirled to face Anya. "The Slayer?" Her voice squeaked on the word. This was bad. Very bad. Buffy was already afraid of the Slayer, terrified of losing control again.

"Did I stutter?" Anya wasn't pleased at the questioning. "Buffy needs to get in touch with her masculine side or something. My Xander thinks it's the only way to win."

"You're joking, right?" Wrapping her arms around herself, Willow flinched as Buffy entered the conversation. "Do you have any idea what the Slayer can do? She tortured Spike, beat him to a bloody pulp and enjoyed it. You want me to let that loose? How is that better than Adam?" Buffy was nearly shouting at the end.

Slowly, not wanting to provoke the Slayer before the showdown with Adam, Willow turned. "It'll be alright, Buffy. We'll find a way to control her. It won't be like it was with Spike." She took a careful step forward. Buffy was pale, hands clenched.

"I can't do it, Will. I can't." As suddenly as it appeared, the anger was gone. Tears glittered in Buffy's eyes. "I can't let the Slayer have control again."

Willow was painfully aware of their audience. "It won't be like that this time." She took Buffy's hands in hers. The small fingers twitched restlessly, as if Buffy were seconds from running. "You were still coming down from the drug at Willie's."

"That's just it, Will. I don't want to feel like that again. When the Slayer was there, it felt like the drug. All angry and powerful and out of control." Buffy was shaking now.

Willow heard the rattle of a pan; she ignored it. Ignored the four human-shaped statues surrounding them, listening to Buffy come unglued. "Buffy, the drug and the beer, Spike trying to kidnap you. The situation was bad. The Slayer was all about saving you and getting answers about Adam. It saw a threat and it took action." Willow kept her voice low and soothing, and she took another step forward, wrapping Buffy in her arms.

"When I came up to you, did you hurt me?" she asked, pressing her point. Buffy's eyes lost a little of the wild look; the blonde head shook slightly. "No, you didn't. You were able to take control back. I wasn't a threat, was I?" Another shake. "Is your Mom a threat? Is Giles?" Willow felt Buffy relaxing. "See, baby? There's no problem. The Slayer will go after Adam. _He's_ the threat."

"I won't let him hurt you, Will." Willow blinked at the change in focus. Buffy went on, "The Slayer protects what's hers." Buffy's voice had deepened. For just an instant, Willow glimpsed a hint of orange to the normally hazel eyes.

Responding to some inner call, Willow pressed a light kiss to Buffy's neck. "I know, Buffy. I expect her to keep me…all of us safe. I'm no more important than your family."

A cleared throat penetrated their intense exchange. "Before this go any farther," Joyce said dryly, "breakfast is ready."

Willow felt the blush race up her face. "Uh, yeah. Thanks, Mrs. Summers. Dinner was a long time ago and with all the running around and magic and stuff, I'm hungry."

"Hungry for Buffy, sure," Anya dropped into the vacuum left after the Willowbabble ended.

When Xander and Faith didn't move, Graham gripped their arms, dragging them down the path. "I'm not joking. I've got information on Adam. My bosses didn't want to give it up. There are armed Marines not far behind me."

Faith started trotting, easily matching Graham's pace. "How many are we talking?" If it were just a few, she might be able to take them out.

"Not sure. At least a platoon," Graham gasped out.

"Numbers, soldier boy. I need numbers." Faith glared at the young man running next to her.

Xander beat him to it. "Don't even think about it, Faith. Even you can't handle a platoon; that's thirty, maybe forty guys with machine guns."

Thirty or forty? Faith picked up the pace. "These guys local?"

If Graham was surprised, he didn't show it. "No. The Pentagon shipped them in after Adam broke free." They were at the edge of campus, the lights of downtown visible ahead.

"We're going to lose your friends without marching the troops through the streets of SunnyD." It might have been a while since Faith hunted evil, but she remembered every back street, alley, and hideout. "Follow me." Avoiding Main Street, Faith led Graham and Xander down an alley behind the movie theater.

During her employment with the Mayor, Faith had often stalked the Scoobies. She'd followed them, spying, listening for any hint they knew how to stop the Ascension. Boots echoing on the concrete and brick walls, the three pounded through the dim space. "Here!" Faith detoured abruptly, ignoring the complaints from her companions. "In here, hurry." Using a touch of Slayer strength, Faith forced open a narrow door well camouflaged by a dumpster and heavy shadows.

Once they were in the small blind, Faith slid the door home.

Xander sank to the floor, sucking in massive amounts of air. Graham was in a little better condition. "Thanks," he panted. "How did you know about this place?"

Shrugging, Faith avoided answering. "What did you find that was so important your bosses are hunting you?"

"I don't know." At her snort, Graham repeated, "I don't know. Really. I was going through some of Riley's files. He kept a stash of work in his room. Completely against regs." Faith watched him run a hand over his short hair. "One of the files had diagrams – looked like some sort of circuitry. There were hand-written notes underneath, in Ry's handwriting. The diagram was of Adam. That's when I paged Buffy."

"Wires and notes. Willow will be so happy," Xander quipped, still mostly prone. "What happened? Why the unwelcome wagon?"

Graham grimaced. "I screwed up. The stuff in Ry's files didn't make sense. I went to one of the guys, asked him to take a look."

"He wasn't a team player?" Faith leaned against the wall, senses on alert. So far, she hadn't heard anyone pass by their hiding place.

"Not for my team. For the brass'? Yeah." The admission seemed to bother him. "Forrest was one of us. Like a brother to me and Riley. As soon as he saw the notes, though, he radioed for backup. He read me the riot act and called me a traitor."

Xander had finally recovered enough to sit up. "How long do we stay here?"

It took a minute for Faith to realize he was asking her. "Uh, they ain't even gone down the alley yet, X-man. I'm thinking we let them get past us then try to get back to the gang. Better question is: how long will they look before they pack up and go home?"

"Tomorrow." Graham sounded very sure of his answer. "The unit's being recalled. We were scheduled to ship out at oh-five hundred."

"That was before you got the goods, though," Faith said. She crossed her arms over her chest, meeting his eyes. "If the information is so important they're putting armed troops downtown, will they leave before finding you?"

This time, Graham didn't respond immediately. "Probably."

"Don't sound so convincing," Xander mumbled. "I mean, it's not like they've got big guns and won't stop to ask questions before shooting us."

"They've got a timetable. When the Initiative deployed here, there was always a risk of civilian exposure." Graham started to pace the small room. "Once the order to pull out was issued, the unit only has forty-eight hours. Two days to destroy all traces of our being there, delete computer files, shred documents, and create cover stories for those of us pretending to be college students."

Faith held up a hand. Multiple footsteps sounded in the alley. "Company," she hissed.

Buffy sprang to her feet, taking a quick step in Anya's direction. Only a small hand on her arm kept Anya safe.

"Eat your breakfast, Buffy," Willow said softly. "We need to find out how to get you and the Slayer safely together and see what information Graham has. Ignore her."

"Will-" Buffy protested. She was already holding hands with the Slayer. A growl echoed in the kitchen.

She slumped when Willow pointed to her plate. "Breakfast."

"Fine. Breakfast." Dropping into her chair, Buffy picked up her fork and viciously stabbed the eggs.

The fork bent in her hand when Anya's chirpy voice commented, "I don't know why you're so worried about the Slayer, Buffy. Willow seems to have her under control."

"Anya!" Joyce jumped in while Buffy pried her fingers off the now twisted metal. "Why don't we go and start some laundry? Those Council guys don't seem like good housekeepers." She moved across the kitchen and pulled Anya from the room.

Relaxing a little, Buffy went back to eating. When Willow perched on the chair next to her, one hand on her thigh, she relaxed more. "Sorry, Will. She just…"

Giles' throat clearing interrupted. "Ah, Buffy, Willow, I take it congratulations are in order?" When Buffy hastily glanced in his direction, she saw the slight blush covering his face. The small smile, though, told her once and for all he was OK with the relationship.

However, before Buffy could catapult across the room and hug her blushing Watcher, Willow shattered the mood. "Um, guys, before we get all with the happies, I have a question."

"Yes, Willow?" Giles met Buffy's eyes. He looked suddenly tense.

"Anya said I was controlling Buffy's Slayer. Great. Whoo hoo." Despite the cheery words, Willow didn't sound very encouraged. "If we have Buffy _and_ Faith go after Adam, who gets to control Faith's Slayer?"


	26. Chapter 26

"Can you say Faith and control in the same sentence?" Buffy asked, food forgotten. "Are you sure we can't do this with just me?" No way was she turning Faith – and her Slayer – loose.

"It is possible," Giles answered, crossing the room and sitting next to Buffy. "However, Faith is very much our secret weapon. As far as we know, Adam doesn't know she exists. I don't think we can afford to leave her behind."

Absently taking a bite of her now-cold eggs, Buffy thought about that. She trusted Faith – didn't she? Her right leg began to bounce. A thin hand moved to grip her thigh, slowing the frenetic motion. "Faith was able to control her Slayer, a little anyway, at Willie's," she finally admitted grudgingly. "Could you help her during the fight, Giles? I mean, you were her Watcher for a while."

"No." Giles sounded certain. He cleared his throat, fidgeting slightly. "That kind of assistance requires…shall we say, a much deeper connection than Faith and I ever shared."

"You mean-" Willow broke off, eyes wide. At Giles nod, she mumbled, "We're in so much trouble."

Leaning against Willow, Buffy considered that. "Yes and no." She pushed her plate out of the way. "Faith already knows how to establish some control over her Slayer. That means we may not need a permanent pairing." She looked up at Willow and Giles. "We find a willing and able bed partner, show them the bed, and close the door. Once Adam's out of the way, she and whoever can go their separate ways."

"Buffy, that's…that's cold," Willow complained. "Faith may be more open about her exploits, but you're acting like her pimp, not her friend or her sister Slayer."

Buffy grimaced. "Better her pimp than her jailor – or worse." Taking Willow's hand, she tried to explain, to rationalize. "We need her. Or, we think we do. You didn't feel what I did, Will. If we turn on her Slayer, and she can't keep control, Adam will be the least of our worries."

"I can do it," Tara's quiet voice interrupted.

Buffy spun in her chair. Tara huddled in shadows at the far end of the narrow kitchen. "Tara, no. I wasn't talking about you." No way. Tara and Faith? Just the thought of the shy witch paired with the so non-shy Faith had her stomach roiling.

Smiling crookedly, Tara walked forward and leaned against the island. "Buffy, I already have a con-connection with Faith."

Not really sure how to respond, Buffy muttered a quiet, "Um, OK." Had she missed something? She looked at Willow and got a tiny, rapid headshake in response.

Tara must have noticed the exchange. "I d-didn't sl-sleep with her," she stuttered. "I was in her he-head, remember?"

"Oh, right." Buffy blushed. "That part's still a little fuzzy." She looked at Giles. "Would that be enough? 'Cause if it's not, maybe Xander could do it. He and Faith have already…ah, connected." She felt Willow stiffen at that and held back a sigh. Damn it. This was opening a lot of old wounds.

"I said I'd do it." Buffy's eyebrows rose at Tara's brusque and confident statement. "Think about it," Tara continued, "if Faith starts to lose control, what is Xander going to do? Grab her arm? Tackle her? Beg her to stop?"

Suddenly very tired, Buffy bowed her head. Why did everyone always ask her the hard questions? She was a Slayer, not a military commander. She killed things. Period.

Willow sat forward abruptly. She was flushed, animated. "You think it's more than having sex, don't you?" she snapped at Tara.

Sensing more troubling news, Buffy rested her elbows on her knees and rubbed her hands over her face, waiting for Tara's response.

"Maybe," Tara said softly. "Slayers are mystical entities – magical creations, bound to a human form. Buffy and Faith, at least, seem to operate as separate entities from their Slayers. What if that wasn't always the case? What if, when the Slayer Line was created, the Slayer and human parts were closer together? How would you control that?"

Buffy dropped her hands. "Isn't that what the Council was supposed to be for? Controlling and training Slayers?"

"Indirectly, Buffy." Giles sighed. "The Council, despite it's protestations, is a relatively new institution. Before it was organized, Slayers were sent out on their own. Simply pointed in the right direction and told to kill evil."

"You haven't answered my question," Tara reminded them. "How do you control a magical being?"

Raising her hand as if in class, Willow wiggled excitedly next to Buffy. She dropped her hand when the other three looked at her. "Sorry about that." She grinned, showing all her teeth. "Magic. You'd use magic to control the Slayer."

"Physical strength wouldn't be enough." Buffy sat up, mind racing. "When we were at Willie's, the Slayer saw Faith as a threat, a challenger. She responded to that with a _physical_ challenge. Whatever they used to build us, Slayer's don't do magic – we _are_ magic. Or, magical."

"Exactly. Pairing a Slayer with someone _physically_ able to control them would be disaster. It would call up that primal response. They'd view their 'handler' as a challenger, someone to fight and dominate." Tara smiled shyly. "I'm no threat to Faith."

The small room grew silent. Booted footsteps sounded from the alley. Ready for action, Faith leaned forward slightly, letting her senses roam. Through the heavy metal door to their hiding place, she picked up bits of conversation.

"Anything?" a male voice barked.

"They were here, sir." Damn it.

Faith looked at Xander, whispering intently, "They know we came this way. Get ready." He scrambled to his feet, moving next to her. "Look around. See if I left any weapons in here."

She turned back to the group in the alley as Xander and Graham began hunting through the room. The footsteps were slower now. Closer, too. If the blind was discovered, they were trapped.

She sensed more than heard the bodies just outside the door. Hands scraped over the thick metal. "Xan!" Faith made a decision. "I don't think the whole platoon's outside. We're not sitting here until they find a way in."

When Xander started to object, Faith grabbed him by the shirt, lifting him until his feet barely touched the ground.

"Think about it with that soldier brain of yours. We can't fight in here. It's too tight, and there's no way out." Releasing him, she turned to a poised Graham. "Listen up, boys. Here's the plan. I lead us out. They may have guns, but they aren't expecting a Slayer. I'll have a little head start."

"Damn it, Faith." Xander sprang forward, voice low and angry. "They're human! Do you really want to kill another one?"

Flinching only a little, Faith ignored the bile burning her throat at the question. "It's the only way, Xan. And, if we're lucky, no one'll get hurt," she said as calmly as she could.

"She's right." Graham stood at quasi-attention. "They won't expect us to attack." He met Faith's eyes steadily. "What do you want us to do once the shooting starts?"

"Run for the house." She cleared her throat when her voice wavered slightly. "You have to get that file to Red and the gang. It might be the only way to beat Adam." Turning away, she took a deep breath and rolled her neck to loosen the tight muscles. One hand reached out, gripping the metal door handle. "Ready or not, boys, we're going."

Throwing the door open, Faith dove forward, tackling one of the armed men examining the alley. "Go!" she shouted to the two men behind her. She didn't have a chance to see if they'd followed her order.

Punching the Marine under her in the face, Faith held his body in front of her as a shield and rolled. In a move only a Slayer could perform, Faith planted her feet on the grimy asphalt and jackknifed erect, still holding her human armor. She moved so quickly the shouts of the rest of the group blurred crazily, a soundtrack on slow play. Faith tossed her bundle into two more men. They went down in a tangle of arms and legs.

There was no time to celebrate. Faith jumped to her right, kicking off the wall of the building there, and somersaulted over the heads of the three remaining Marines. The chase was on. Muscles straining, heart beat pounding in her ears, Faith ran. Now that she was no longer afraid of even accidentally killing one of the Marines, Faith called out to her Slayer. Starting with a slow trickle, the energy uncoiled inside. By the time the bullets began bouncing off the walls around her, Faith's body tingled and stretched from the power flooding through her. Her stride lengthened, and she pulled away from her hunters.

Xander and Graham were still vulnerable. Faith turned right out of the alley and slowed, ignoring the scream of her Slayer. She had to lead the Marines away from the safe house, give the boys time to get the information to Willow. _Then_ she could lose her pursuers and go back there herself.

Ducking into a doorway, Faith peered behind her. Uniformed men scrambled out of the alley. Faith counted five. One of them must still be down. A tall black man looked up and down the street and spoke into a mic looped over his shoulder. Muscles twitching from the need to run, Faith waited. Another team joined the first.

Faith stepped out of her hidden location and began a slow jog down the street. She grinned humorlessly when a shout rang out behind her. Four blocks of listening to the dull pop of gunfire and the sharp snap of concrete exploding from the impact of bullets later, Faith gratefully entered the wooded area at the edge of town. They were on the opposite side of Sunnydale from the safe house. Letting the Slayer loose again, Faith widened the gap


	27. Chapter 27

Dodging through the trees, Faith began a circuitous return trip to the safe house. Faintly, she could hear the Marines thrashing through the underbrush and cursing behind her. Faith grinned and slowed to a walk. Her run had left her near the campus. She'd lose herself among the throng of students just to be safe.

Faith straightened her clothes and ran a hand through her wind-tangled hair before stepping out of the trees. Pausing briefly, she looked around. A handful of students loitered in the small park-like clearing. Fighting to get her breathing under control, Faith shoved her hands in her pockets and strolled through the grass.

Her skin tingled before she got more than halfway across the clearing. Slayer hearing picked up the dull thud of heavy boots on the ground.

Listening to them approach, Faith realized her plan had holes. How many Marines had followed her here? What if they had her surrounded? The urge to turn and look, to run tightened her muscles. Ignoring those instincts, Faith kept her deliberate pace. Her eyes, however, darted around, scanning for an escape route.

Two battle-dressed Marines jogged by. They never looked in her direction.

Relaxing a little, Faith picked up her pace. Walking with more purpose, she started along a sidewalk and skirted several brick buildings. There were more students now, and Faith simply became one of them – until she spotted Buffy's ex-boyfriend and an older man having an intense conversation in front of a large house. Faith walked past them and ducked behind the hedges several feet away. Slayer hearing ruled. She easily picked up their conversation.

"Colonel, you can't just blow up the labs." Faith recognized Riley's voice from the Bronze. "There are civilians here. Lots of civilians."

"Agent Finn, my orders are clear. We are to leave no trace of our presence here." Faith carefully moved some of the greenery around her and saw the older man lean closer to Riley. "I am not leaving millions of dollars of equipment for some nosy college kid to find. The charges my men laid are designed to implode the tunnels and caverns. Not one single student at this campus will even notice the blast."

Faith tensed as Riley grabbed the other man by the collar. "Damn it, Colonel. Some of those tunnels aren't stable."

Before he could continue, his companion wrenched away, meticulously straightening his shirt. "I ought to have you up on charges, Agent Finn."

"You do that, and I'll make sure the brass in Washington know exactly what was going on here. There are things not even you know, Colonel." Riley's cell phone rang, shattering the tense scene. With a frown, he stepped away from the Colonel and flipped it open. "Finn," Riley said tersely into the phone.

Inching closer, Faith tried to hear the voice on the other end. As she pressed against the house and pushed her way through the bushes, Faith stepped on a discarded beer can. The loud crunch seemed to echo.

Riley and the Colonel spun. "I'll call you back," Riley said into the phone, closing it and reaching behind him.

Faith bit back a curse when his hand – and a big gun – reappeared. Not bothering with stealth, she exploded out of hiding, diving at Riley. They hit the ground hard, and Riley's gun clattered to the pavement. Rolling off Riley, Faith clambered to her feet, prepared for another long run.

She didn't count on Riley's near Slayer-like speed. A large hand shot out, grabbing her ankle, and Faith gasped as she slammed back to the ground. "What the fuck?" No way was Buffy's ex winning this fight. The Slayer roared in her head, ignoring Faith's frantic pleading. Riley was human. She couldn't…wouldn't kill him. Her internal struggle ended abruptly. Faith's head snapped to the side, pain exploding in her cheek and jaw.

"Who are you?" Riley demanded.

Ignoring the flaring pain and the Slayer's frenzy deep inside, Faith merely glared at her captor.

Another blow rocked her head in the opposite direction.

Faith and the Slayer had had enough. Human or not, Riley was the enemy. Faith allowed the Slayer limited freedom. A growl tore from her throat, and her hand slammed up into Riley's ribs. He jerked away, grunting in pain. Taking advantage of the injury, Faith surged to her feet, tossing the injured Marine several feet away.

"Freeze!" a new voice shouted.

Ready for another fight, Faith turned. The Colonel held Riley's weapon, the barrel trained directly at her. Dropping and rolling, the Slayer reached the older man before he even had time to blink. The gun flattened in her hand, the metal groaning in protest. Faith felt the Slayer attempting to slip the leash. She clamped down on the primal voice urging her to end this threat once and for all. She met the Colonel's frightened eyes. "Run," Faith ordered him. She was in control right now, but Faith had no illusions her dominance would last indefinitely. Following her own advice, Faith spun on her heel and took off.

"OK then. One problem solved." Buffy pushed her plate away and stood. "Tara keeps Faith from going all Evil Slayer again. Willow makes friends with my Slayer. We'll be one big happy family of butt-kicking superheroes." She smiled grimly. "Now we just need a butt-kicking plan." Buffy waited for Willow's giggle or Giles' pained sigh at her levity.

However, everyone simply looked at her, waiting for her to unveil the plan.

Buffy frowned. "No. No way," she said firmly. "I'm not Xander. There are no soldiers fighting wars in my head."

As if Buffy's words conjured him, Xander burst through the door with Graham right behind him. "We've got it," he announced excitedly.

"Got what?" Giles queried, looking confused and a little impatient at the lack of real information.

"The goods on Adam." Xander took Buffy's abandoned chair and started eating her leftover breakfast. "Graham got this file from Riley with diagrams and stuff," he mumbled through the food.

Buffy felt Willow tense against her. "Where are they?" Willow wanted to know.

"I've got them right here." Graham pulled a rolled file folder from a leg pocket on his pants. He handed them to Willow, and she immediately spread them out on the table.

Buffy could see the outline of a human shape, but the notes surrounding the drawing didn't make sense. Willow, though, seemed to immediately understand. Her slim finger tracked the tiny script before going to various marked spots on the figure. Growing restless, Buffy scanned the room. Maybe Faith wouldn't mind a little sparring in the yard.

Faith wasn't in the room. Buffy searched for her through their Slayer connection. Faith wasn't in the house.

"Xan, what happened to Faith?" Even Willow looked up at the almost accusatory note in Buffy's voice. "Where is she?"

"Whoa, Buff. Calm down. She's fine." Xander swallowed the bite he'd just taken. "I mean, she was when we left her." He squirmed at her glare. "We ran into some of Graham's buddies. Faith told us to come here, give you the file, and she'd lead the platoon away from us."

The plate jumped when Buffy slammed a fist into the table. "Damn it, Xan." Needing to move, burn off her sudden nervous energy, Buffy stalked back and forth across the room. "Where was she headed? I'll go after her." Then she remembered. She couldn't go after Faith. Her pacing got faster. The safe house suddenly felt like a cage.

"Buffy-" Willow grabbed her arm, spinning Buffy in her direction. "This isn't helping."

Buffy knew that. However, she couldn't seem to stem the energy flooding through her. "Sorry," she muttered in Xander's direction. Faith would be fine. She was a Slayer. Not even Marines were that good. After all, Buffy had taken on a dozen of them for the Professor's tests. Throwing her shoulders back, Buffy stopped pacing. "Anything useful in that file, Will?"

She got a suspicious look for her sudden amiability. "Maybe. There are some notations about a power source. It's some kind of uranium core." Willow held up the diagram, tapping her finger over the heart area. "If we could get to it, we could basically turn Adam off."

"I'm sensing a but in there, Wills." Xander put down his fork, watching her closely.

Buffy agreed with him. Willow hadn't sounded happy about what should have been good news.

"We could turn him off…if we could get close enough." Willow shrugged. "Right now, that might be a problem."

Tara moved closer, reaching for the file. "Is there anything else, Willow? If destroying the power source isn't an option, is there an alternative?"

Reluctantly surrendering the slim folder, Willow answered, "I don't know. The notes are hard to read and I only got a chance to scan the first couple of pages. Why? What are you thinking?"

"A list of all the demons they used to make Adam?" Tara asked with a self-mocking smile.

Snorting, Buffy put a commiserating hand on Tara's shoulder. "Lesson one in the Scooby Handbook: If you need information, you can't find it without musty old books." She took the file from Tara, peering at Riley's notes. "Will?" Buffy pointed a finger at one of the diagrams, confused. "Is this the same drawing?"

"What do you mean?" Willow asked, snatching the file back.

"Look." Buffy pointed again. "The first one doesn't have this…thing." Buffy didn't know how to describe the weird vein-like overlay.

Humming slightly, Willow studied the diagrams. "I…I don't know. I thought it was just part of Adam's exoskeleton, but you're right. The two are different." She raised shadowed green eyes. "Goddess, Buffy, what if Adam isn't the only thing Professor Walsh created?"


	28. Chapter 28

Xander's forced laughter filled the room. "That Willow. She's always been such a kidder." He looked at Willow pleadingly. "You are kidding, right, Wills?"

Willow shook her head, and Buffy wanted to cry. They weren't even sure they could beat Adam – with two Slayers. How were they supposed to beat Adam and his evil brother?

"Can you tell anything about the other hybrid?" Graham asked. He moved closer to Willow, peering at the diagrams. "I didn't understand all of Ry's notes. Is this one part demon, too?"

Buffy wasn't ready for another round of "Name that Monster." "Does it really matter?" she asked. She grabbed the file and tossed it onto the counter. "Demon or not, we have to kill it. I say we stick to the plan. Me and Faith, plus our witchy handlers."

"Buffy," Giles began, and Buffy closed her eyes. She hated that sound of resigned tolerance in his voice, "we don't have a plan. We have, at best, a vague idea of what might help us defeat Adam. We have yet to consider a course of action."

"Right." A shamed blushed suffused her face. Retrieving the file folder, Buffy handed it to Graham. "Sorry, guys. We've let the Slayer out to play once too often lately. I'm all ready for some demon killing." She bounced on her toes, really wishing Faith were around. Sparring was sounding better and better.

Willow could tell Buffy and the Slayer were about to explode. Giving Graham and Giles a small smile and nod, she stood and stretched. "I need a break, guys. See if you can figure out what those markings mean. Buffy and I will be back in a bit." She grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her quickly out of the room.

They ran into Joyce and Anya immediately.

"Hello, girls. Planning session over?" Joyce raised an eyebrow at them over the pile of clothes and towels she was folding.

"No," Buffy answered and Willow flicked a glance at Buffy. Her girlfriend's voice had been too flat, too controlled.

Joyce's eyebrow climbed higher. "I see." She regarded them steadily. "Should I plan on another grocery and food run? More sugar and snacks for a research party?"

Willow wasn't sure how to answer. They were more than likely stuck at the safe house for a few more days. With the new information to study and Faith still not back, their options were limited. She didn't want to say that, however. Buffy nearly vibrated with tension, and Willow didn't want to push her.

"Xander and Graham are in the kitchen with Giles," Willow finally said. "There's some new information we need to consider before we go after Adam."

"Oh for God sake, Willow, spit it out." Anya set a stack of towels on the couch. "The sooner you tell us what's going on, the sooner I can take my Xander home and have orgasms." She flounced past them and into the kitchen. "I'll ask Xander myself. He can't ever keep secrets from me."

Face burning, Willow stared fixedly at the wall behind Joyce. "Um…"

"She certainly has a way of phrasing things, doesn't she?" Joyce winked when Willow looked her way. "Did you two need something?"

Buffy still stood silently at her side. Willow took a deep breath. They didn't have time for both of them to freak. She took another breath, and her mind started to sluggishly churn. Joyce needed to do a grocery run. Buffy needed something to do. It wasn't her best plan, but it _was_ a plan. "Mrs. Summers, can you make a grocery list? Maybe Buffy and I can run to the store."

"Are you sure, Willow?" Joyce didn't look happy at the suggestion. "Adam is still out there looking for us. Shouldn't you and Buffy be in the kitchen helping find some answers?" She moved toward them. "After all this time, I know where I stand. Head Cook and Team Mom. Saving the world isn't in my job description."

"Right. My bad." Willow bit her lip and looked at Buffy. She was still tense, rocking on her heels and restlessly scanning the room.

A warm and insistent hand pressed into Willow's lower back. "Girls, maybe I wasn't clear enough. I'm tired of living in the Council's vacation home. Let's get into the kitchen and find a way to get rid of Adam. As good as Mr. Giles is, he needs the two of you to help him figure this out."

Faith chanced a look over her shoulder as she ran. Fuck. Buffy's ex was still there. He even seemed to be closing the gap. She reached deeper, breaking the last of the bonds holding the Slayer in check. Her speed increased immediately. "Eat my dust, Big Boy," Faith muttered to herself.

Branches whipped against her arms and face. She was nearing the outskirts of town, though. Faith checked her stride. Even the clueless residents of Sunnydale would notice if she flew through town with Slayer speed engaged. Breathing heavily, Faith planned her route to the safe house. If the other Marines were still skulking through the alleys, Main Street-

Her thoughts ended abruptly as a hurtling body knocked her to the ground.

"What the fuck?" she asked. Grappling with the muscled arms trying to pin her hands to her sides, Faith managed to get her knees under her. She bucked back, slamming her head into soft tissue.

The smell of copper filled the air. Blood.

"Bitch!" Faith took grim satisfaction from the pain in the deep voice. Satisfaction didn't last. The body pressed into her back shifted and rough hands gripped her shoulders.

Faith lofted into the air before slamming into a tree. Shocked and gasping for air, she stared at Buffy's ex.

Handsome face twisted in a mocking smile, he stalked toward her. "I asked you a question." Before Faith could recover, he drove a fist into her stomach. "Who are you?"

If she'd been able to breathe, Faith might have answered him. Doubled over, retching from lack of oxygen, she simply shook her head.

The Slayer was still close to the surface. Roaring in defiance, she ignored the pain and dove at her tormentor. He wasn't _quite_ fast enough. They crashed to the ground a second time. This time, Faith had the upper hand. Scrambling to her feet, Faith slammed a booted foot into Finn's side. A hoarse shout and the crackle of breaking bones filled the air.

Faith kicked him again, letting her Slayer senses scan her prey. Nothing. Not even a tiny blip on the Slayer radar. "Better question, asshole. _What_ are _you?"_

Finn didn't answer, and Faith prepared herself for a little interrogation. She never got the chance. Multiple footsteps sounded behind her. Reinforcements.

"Next time, Big Boy, you and me are finishing this conversation." With one last farewell kick, Faith took off. To hell with the fine people of Sunnydale. They'd find a way to explain away her super speed, just like they explained away the vampire attacks and high mortality rate. Faith streaked down Main Street, intent on reaching the Scoobies.

Caution replaced her flight instinct as Faith neared the safe house. On the far side of downtown Sunnydale, Faith wound through side streets and neighborhoods, still at breakneck speed. If the troops had managed to track her progress, they were well hidden.

Jumping over backyard fences and crawling through some bushes, Faith peered into the safe house's backyard. Nothing moved. The Slayer whispered a suggestion, and Faith tilted her head back, sniffing deeply. Garbage, fuel, no gun oil. No Marines.

Faith gave a soundless sigh, relaxing a little, and walked through the gate into the yard.

Buffy stiffened. "Mom-"

"Mom, nothing." Joyce grabbed her by the arm, spinning her around. "Grow up, Buffy. I get this is hard. I wouldn't want your job, but it's not about you. It never has been."

The Slayer growled; she didn't like being challenged. Buffy didn't, either. "I don't see you taking on Adam," she snapped.

"No, and you won't." Joyce wasn't backing down. "I'm not the Slayer. You are. I thought you'd gotten over the 'Woe is Me' party a long time ago. There are a lot of people depending on us. On you! You may be on the front lines, but the rest of us are still here. We just do all those little things you don't like to be bothered with."

Yanking away, Buffy stalked across the room. No matter how much the Slayer howled in her head, _Buffy_ knew her mother was right. "Sorry, Mom." The words sounded stiff; although, Buffy meant them.

"Don't be sorry, Buffy." Joyce's voice moved away. "Be in the kitchen, helping out."

The kitchen door thumped softly as it swung closed behind her.

"You OK, Buffy?" Willow asked.

Buffy spun on her heel. "Been better," she admitted with a wry smile. Walking to Willow, she took her hand, entwining their fingers. "Sorry for earlier – and for making you stand here for the Mom and Buffy Show."

"It's fine, Buffy." Buffy raised an eyebrow a la Joyce, and Willow giggled. "Well, I could do with a little less of Rambo Buffy."

"Me, too." Shrugging, Buffy pulled Willow toward the kitchen. "Remind me to ask Faith how she handles the Slayer so well. I mean, she was ready to go at me in the bar, but only after I went after her. Until then, she was just trying to talk you into getting out of the way."

She paused, one hand on the kitchen door.

"Buffy?" Willow leaned into her.

"Looks like I'll get a chance to ask sooner than I thought." Buffy looked over her shoulder, meeting Willow's eyes. "Faith's back."


	29. Chapter 29

Pushing open the kitchen door, Buffy looked at Faith. "What the hell happened to you?" Faith was sweat soaked, dirty, and battered.

Faith looked at her, one eyebrow climbing. "Hi, B. You look good. You're welcome for getting the troops out of the way so X-man and Graham could get back with the info."

"Oops. Sorry, Faith." Buffy relaxed. Faith couldn't be badly hurt if she was this cocky. "Thanks for letting Xander and Graham come back with the info." She waited a beat then added, "Want to explain the 'I just got my ass kicked' look?"

"I ran into your ex." Hand on her side, Faith stretched and winced. "Boy's wicked fast and has a hell of a punch. Remind me not to make fun of the Marine commercials anymore."

Something didn't make sense. "You ran into Riley?" Buffy asked. No way could Riley do that kind of damage. They'd patrolled and sparred enough. He'd never even laid a hand on Buffy unless she'd let him.

"Big beefy guy who freaked when you kissed Red at the Bronze?" Faith commented.

"That's him." Buffy didn't look at anyone except Faith. She and Willow may have outed themselves earlier, but they hadn't made any announcements about how long their strange relationship had been going on.

She'd forgotten one thing, though.

Xander's head shot up. "Buffy kissed Willow? When? And why wasn't I there?"

"Xander!" Anya's shrill voice interrupted. "You are with me. That means you should not be enjoying thoughts of other women. Besides, if Buffy kisses Willow, they wouldn't want you there. That makes them lesbians."

Willow's giggles broke the pained silence. "Actually, Anya," she said, stepping around Buffy and taking a seat on a stool, "Buffy and I would be considered bisexual."

If Buffy hadn't been so embarrassed, she might have marveled at Willow's sudden self-possession.

Before Anya could reply, Willow went on, addressing Faith, "Do you think it was all the time in the coma that let Riley get to you?"

Faith shook her head immediately. "No. Once Blondie did her magic, I've been back to normal. He got me even with the Slayer running things."

The words rang hollowly in Buffy's ears. No. This couldn't be happening. Not again. Springing across the kitchen, she snatched the folder on Adam and the other monster from the table. Ignoring the people crowding the kitchen, Buffy peered at the diagram of the Professor's other creation. Nothing. "Tara, were there any notes on testing? Maybe responses to drugs or battle simulations?" she demanded, giving up on the file.

"Y-Yes. How di-did you know?" Tara stuttered, shrinking back from Buffy's sudden aggression.

"Damn it, why me?" Buffy shouted, slamming the file onto the table. "I mean, I may be a Slayer, but that doesn't mean I'm some kind of demon magnet, right?" She turned to Willow. "Angel, Ford, Riley. I swear, if you turn into an evil demon, I'm going celibate."

Fighting a laugh, Willow stared at Buffy. The hazel eyes were dark and shadowed, her soft lips pursed. Whatever had Buffy making vows of celibacy, it wasn't at all funny. "Um…'k. I promise not to go Evil, Buffy." Running Buffy's actions through her mind, Willow tried to put the pieces together.

Graham beat her to the punch. "Why do you think Ry's a demon?" he asked, voice angry. "He was on those drugs, just like the rest of us. He didn't have a choice about what he did."

Buffy spun to face Graham. "You were there when the Professor did all those tests. How many times did Riley, did any of you, even get close to me in a fight?"

Eyes wide, Willow realized what Buffy was thinking – Riley was Professor Walsh's newest hybrid. She took a step toward Buffy as Graham responded to Buffy's strident question.

"None." The word was quiet, reluctantly drawn from Graham. "That doesn't mean-"

"You're right. It doesn't mean anything." Willow watched Buffy scan the room. Her girlfriend had everyone's attention. "I could be wrong." Buffy's lips twisted bitterly. "I'd _like_ to be wrong. I just don't think I am."

Giles broke the tense silence when he walked over and retrieved the file Buffy had thrown onto the counter. "Right or wrong, it doesn't change our plan." He looked expectantly at Buffy.

Willow saw Buffy frown in confusion. "Remember…the _plan_," she enunciated for Buffy's benefit, flicking her glance toward Tara and Faith.

"The plan," Buffy mimicked. The wheels were turning, and Willow waited for Buffy to make the connection. "Oh!" Cheeks pink, Buffy looked at Tara. "That plan."

Faith watched the byplay with irritation. If they had a plan, why the hell were they hanging out in the kitchen? "You gonna fill me in on this plan, B? Or did you want to move here permanently?"

Buffy's blush was unexpected – as was the almost fearful look she shot Tara.

"B?" Faith gripped the edge of the table. "We're going after Adam, right? That's what the plan's for?"

"Yes, it is." It wasn't Buffy who answered. Tara smiled slightly, blonde hair creeping forward to obscure part of her face. "Why don't I tell you about that while I take a look at those ribs?"

Eyes bouncing between a strangely silent Buffy and Tara, Faith considered that. "Nah." She was a Slayer. She'd heal. The thing with Adam was more important than getting Tara to magically heal some cuts and a few bruised ribs.

"You need to be completely healed if you and Buffy are going after Adam." Faith looked up at Joyce, leaning against the counter by the sink. "Let Tara take care of you," Joyce continued. She was smiling, but Faith didn't get the impression her words were a suggestion.

"Mrs. S-" she started to object. It was just some bruises.

"Please, Faith," Joyce pleaded.

Squirming under the piercing hazel stare, Faith tried one last time. "Waste of fucking time, if ya' ask me."

One blonde eyebrow rose.

Faith clamped her lips shut, head nodding almost automatically.

"Thank you, honey." Joyce's smile was far gentler this time. "Why don't you and Tara use one of the bedrooms while the rest of the gang talks strategy?"

"You're welcome," Faith muttered. She followed Tara out of the kitchen. "Blondie, what's really going on? B ain't calling the cops on me, is she?" It was the only reason she'd found for the strange way the Scoobies had acted.

Tara turned, blue eyes wide with horror. "Goddess, no!" She took Faith's hand and pulled her down the hall, talking the entire way. "Buffy's been pr-pretty wound up today from the S-Slayer and the way we ha-have to go after Adam."

"What's B's Slayer got to do with anything? I thought Red got those drugs out of Buffy's system?" Faith dug in her heels, halting their progress in the hallway. "Spill, Blondie. I ain't taking another step until you help me understand."

Dropping Faith's hand, Tara turned. She was bright red as she stared into Faith's eyes resolutely. "I'll tell you."

Faith snorted. Yeah, right.

She didn't expect the fiery blue eyes that glared up at her. "I said I would tell you. I will. Just…" Tara's rare show of aggression faded away, replaced by a bright blush. "…not out here."

"Whatever, Blondie." Faith pushed past her and into the first bedroom. She was too tired to argue. "Just make it fast, would you? If we're going after Adam, I don't want to be the last one out the door." Dropping onto the bed, Faith lay back, letting her legs and feet hang off the edge. "What's the plan that has you and B all redfaced?"

Tara didn't answer immediately. Instead, she walked to the opposite side of the bed by Faith's head, gently touching her temples. "Relax, Faith," she said softly. "I need you to relax and lower your shields."

"You gonna do the healing now?" Faith asked, already sinking into a trance state. Tara's temple massage had her almost boneless. Warmth tingled under her skin.

She heard Tara's slow, deliberate breaths and the bed dipped as Tara knelt next to her. The fingers trailed away from her temples, stroking softly down her face to her neck.

It felt so good, Faith didn't question the action. When Tara's lips followed the path of her fingers, though, relaxation disappeared. Faith sat up abruptly. "What the fuck's going on, Blondie?" she demanded. Eyes snapping open, she glared at Tara.

Deep blue eyes glittered in the dim room. "I'm trying to explain the plan, Faith."

"The plan includes you coming on to me?" Faith chuckled. "Never saw that coming." She scooted to the end of the bed. "Never mind about the ribs, T. They feel better." Maybe Tara had gotten to them before she made her moves.

"Faith." Tara's voice reached out, stopping Faith before she stood.

The warmth was back; the tingling beneath her skin grew.

"I promised to explain the plan. Why won't you let me explain?" Tara asked.

A/N: A special thanks to Howard for planting the seed on Buffy's reaction to the Riley news.


	30. Chapter 30

Faith looked back at Tara, noticing the way her blue eyes had darkened. Tara's white teeth worried on her full bottom lip nervously. "T, look…" Under normal circumstances, they would have already been horizontal. "This ain't the time."

"It _is_ the time, Faith." Tara pulled her legs up, sitting Indian style. "Sit down, Faith."

Scowling, Faith shook her head. What the hell was going on?

"Please," Tara added. She held out a beckoning hand. "I'm not playing games, I promise. This is important."

Reluctantly perching on the edge of the bed, Faith waited for Tara to continue.

"I…I'm sorry for surp-prising you like that." Tara ducked her head, and Faith was sure her face was beet red. "It d-didn't work the way I thought it would."

Ah, hell. Rushing to reassure Tara, Faith put a hand gently under Tara's chin, pulling it up. "Hey, T. Any other time, I'da been right there with you." She smiled. "Noticed you right away, when B and Red dragged me along." Running her thumb across the soft lips, Faith shrugged. "I ain't saying no, T. Just…not right now."

The warmth she'd felt during the healing was still there. In fact, it was growing; the heat pulsed with each heartbeat.

Smiling crookedly, Tara kissed Faith's thumb.

The gentle warming under her skin became an inferno with that single act.

"T?" Faith asked, nearly panting. "What's going on?"

"Like I told you," Tara responded softly, "this is part of the plan." She sucked Faith's thumb into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it.

No way. Fucking Tara was not part of The Plan. Faith still wasn't clear on what, exactly, the plan was. She was crystal clear on the fact she wasn't screwing Tara with B and the Scoobs giggling about it in the kitchen. Yanking her hand away she sprang from the bed, intending to tell Buffy and Company what they could do with their plan. It didn't happen that way.

Two steps across the room, Faith froze.

"Come back to bed, Faith." Tara's voice wasn't loud or demanding. It simply seemed to wrap around Faith, working in conjunction with the ephemeral hands stroking over Faith's body. "I won't pressure you. Let me explain why this, why _we_ are supposed to happen."

Faith didn't have a choice. She turned without thought and plodded back to the bed. "We're supposed to happen," she echoed. Happen? Like a car wreck? "T, I know the Scoobs think I'm a whore, but I don't really just hop into bed with anyone." They had to meet at least a few requirements.

"I know that, sweetie." Tara's hand gripped Faith's.

Trying to concentrate, Faith shook her head and pulled at the collar of her shirt. It was so hot in here. "They all know you brought me in here to fuck, don't they?" Envisioning the smirk on Xander's face and the sanctimonious look on Buffy's had her grinding her teeth.

"Easy, sweetie." Tara pulled on their joined hands, and Faith found herself lying almost entirely on top of the other girl. "They don't matter. What's going on between us…that's all that matters."

It wasn't that easy. Faith stiffened. "Damn it, Blondie. Why you?" She meant to force Tara to tell her what was going on. Instead, the words came out almost a plea.

"We're connected, Faith. From the healing." Leaning up, Tara kissed her softly. "This will strengthen the bond so you and your Slayer can stay in control when you face Adam."

As soon as Tara said the words, Faith felt the Slayer uncoil deep inside. She tensed, readying for a fight. She didn't understand what Tara was saying. Bond or no bond, Faith vowed not to let the Slayer loose on Tara.

The invisible hands stopped the sensual caress, beginning a massage of the tight muscles at the back of her neck.

"Don't worry, Faith. You won't hurt me," Tara murmured. "I'm not a threat. Trust me."

Trust? Hell no. Faith tried to pull away. Tara's tightened grip and the Slayer's sudden refusal held her in place. "Talk, Blondie." Starting to panic, Faith kept herself still, senses stretched to their limits. One wrong move by her Slayer, and she'd find a way – any way – to protect Tara.

"Your Slayer…all Slayers, probably, need a stabilizing influence. Someone who can help you keep the primal forces of the Slayer in check." Tara locked her eyes onto Faith's.

The tingle was back. Faith closed her eyes and shuddered.

Heart hammering, Faith heard Tara go on. "Think back to Willie's. Buffy didn't attack Willow like you thought she would." Tara's lips nibbled delicately on Faith's neck while her hands worked on releasing her belt. "Buffy's Slayer recognized Willow."

Faith's Slayer was pushing for more freedom. "So…" Faith tried to make sense of the explanation, ignoring her body and the Slayer. "You can help with the Slayer."

"Yes." Warm fingers undid the button on Faith's jeans. The zipper hissed down.

The air seared her throat as Faith gasped. "Tara…how…" It was so hard to think. Sweat slicked her skin, beaded her upper lip. _Why are we in bed together? _she wanted to ask. It came out as, "Why this?"

"Why not?" Hands slipped under Faith's shirt, unerringly heading for her breasts. "I mean, I guess I could strengthen the bond if we meditated together." Tara rubbed her thumbs over and around Faith's nipples. "Isn't this more fun?"

"You…you think we should go check on them?" Buffy whispered in Willow's ear. It had sounded good when Tara had made the offer. Now that she was alone with Faith, though, Buffy was regretting the whole thing. What if Faith hurt Tara?

"No." Willow's answer was firm. "Buffy, Tara said she'd be fine. Remember? They already have a bond from the healing."

It helped a little. Buffy leaned her head against Willow's shoulder and looked at Giles, Graham, and Xander clustered around a rough-drawn map of the Initiative base.

"There's a tunnel entrance here." Graham pointed to a spot at the edge of the campus.

"Sorry, guys," Buffy joined in reluctantly. "If you're talking about the sewer entrance, it's blocked off now. There was a rockslide a few weeks ago. It's covered in several feet of rocks." If things hadn't been so grim, she would have laughed at the three pairs of puppy dog eyes looking at her. "That leaves just the elevator access."

Xander shook his head. "I hope you're wrong, Buff."

"Why?" Buffy looked at him in confusion. "It's a way in. Isn't that what we need?" She reached for Willow's hand. "We go in; we find Adam and Riley; we kick their asses."

He simply looked back at her, and Buffy wondered just when Xander had learned Giles' patented disappointed grimace.

"OK, so if that's not the plan, what is?" she mumbled sullenly.

"It's not a bad plan, Buffy," Xander rushed to reassure. "We just can't go in like that. Think about it. Tiny little box. One door."

When he put it like that…"I guess we could try to clear the sewer entrance." Buffy remembered the seemingly endless pile of boulders she and Riley had discovered on patrol. "Two Slayers can move a lot of rock."

"Can I ask a question?" Joyce asked from the island where she had mounds of sandwich makings laid out.

"Sure, Mom." Right now, Buffy would even let Anya join in. They needed new ideas.

Joyce finished cutting the bread in front of her while the gang at the table watched and waited. "How did Professor Walsh get in and out of the Initiative?"

That was it? That was the big question? Buffy rolled her eyes. "Mom, the professor used the entrance through Lowell House. The elevator we can't use."

"Really?" There was an edge to Joyce's voice, and Buffy winced. Her mother must have seen the eye roll. "Because I'm wondering how your professor managed to build a secret monster in her lab with no one the wiser. Wouldn't there have been supplies and equipment she'd need that the rest of the troops couldn't see?"

After a moment's silence, Willow's voice filled the room. "I don't know about you guys, but I feel stupid."

"I always feel that way, Will. This time…"Xander rubbed his neck. "Gotta say, this is worse than usual. Mrs. Summers, maybe I should make the sandwiches and you should be sitting here."

Joyce chuckled. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, honey. I think I'll pass. Team Mom is enough for me." Winking, she told him, "Just don't forget that moms sometimes know more than just how to fold towels, OK?"

"Graham, are there blueprints to the base?" Willow jumped up, heading for the living room and her laptop before he could answer. They'd been so stupid and wasted so much time. Mind racing, she returned to the kitchen and set up her computer. "Well? Are there blueprints?"

"Probably." At Willow's glare, he said more firmly, "Yes. I just don't know where we'd find them."

Willow did. She was typing even before he fell silent.


	31. Chapter 31

"You don't think it's that simple, do you?" Graham had recovered his confidence. "Maybe there _is_ a secret entrance. It's not going to be on the blueprints labeled 'Frankenstein's Lab.'"

Willow never even glanced up. "Good thing I'm smart enough not to be looking for that.

Biting back a laugh at the sarcasm in that comment, Buffy tried asking, "How are you going to find the entrance then?"

Impatient green eyes peered over the computer screen. "First, I actually have to have time to _look_ for the information."

"Sorry." With a grimace, Buffy dropped onto a chair and watched her girlfriend type madly. That didn't help. She couldn't tell what Willow was doing. Scooting closer, she rested her chin on Willow's shoulder. Much, much better. Buffy still didn't have a clue what Willow was doing, but the contact and the light floral perfume Willow wore got rid of the lingering aggression from earlier.

* * *

Willow sighed soundlessly when Buffy leaned against her. Expecting a new barrage of questions when Buffy couldn't understand the code she was entering, Willow was surprised at the silence. Sparing a glance from the screen, she grinned. Buffy looked almost asleep. Eyes partially closed, breathing slow and even, Buffy simply drifted.

Taking advantage of the quiet moment, Willow went back to work.

Eventually, the gang resumed talking. No one, however, interrupted her. Ignoring the ebb and flow of voices and the clatter of plates from lunch, Willow kept her focus on finding a way into the Initiative's files. She'd done it once. She could do it again.

Her concentration was so complete, Willow jumped when Buffy spoke softly into her ear, "Hey, I think you need to take a break."

"What?" Sitting back from the screen, Willow groaned. Goddess, she was stiff. "A break? I just got started. See?" She pointed at the time on the computer. "I've only been working…" Breaking off, she stared at the little numbers.

"Two hours, Will," Buffy finished for her. "Come on. Stand up, stretch, get something to eat."

No. She couldn't take a break. "I still haven't found a way in, Buffy. Unless we go back to the elevator idea, I need to keep working." Willow rolled her head before glaring determinedly at the screen. "It's there. I know it is." No way was she letting Buffy go after Adam without a solid plan.

Warm hands gripped her shoulders, kneading the tight muscles.

"That feels so good," Willow moaned. Her eyes slid closed, and her head fell back onto Buffy.

"I'm multitalented." Buffy kissed her cheek. "I can save the world in the morning and get rid of all those nasty knots in your back in the afternoon."

Zoning out, Willow let herself relax into Buffy's hands. That's when the quiet in the kitchen caught her attention. "Where is everyone?"

Buffy's hands tightened at the question before going back to their massage. "Faith and Tara are still…bonding."

Willow sensed her continued unease at that.

"Mom and Graham went on a grocery run. Everyone else is napping, I think." She pressed another kiss to Willow's cheek. "I don't understand why no one else enjoys Willow Watching the way I do."

Grinning faintly at the mock confusion in Buffy's voice, Willow slowly sat back up. "If they did, sweetie, we'd have to worry." She tilted her head, resting her cheek on the hands still on her shoulders. "I got in once, Buffy. I just need to find the right algorithm to break the encryption."

"OK." It was clear Buffy had no idea what she'd just said.

As she tried yet another algorithm, Willow searched for a simple explanation. "It's like…it's like doing a Rubik's Cube. Only, I don't have to get six faces of the same color. I have to find a pattern in the colors that fits in with the pattern that's already there."

Buffy's hands moved, her thumbs beginning a slow stroking motion up and down Willows's neck. "And that breaks in? Like finding the password?"

"Yes." Not really. It was just easier than trying to get more technical. "Once I get into the system, all I have to do is surf around until I find the blueprints." Willow nearly rolled her eyes at the oversimplification. She'd just compared breaking into Top Secret government computer files to a game cube.

The screen flashed.

"Damn," Willow griped.

"Still no good?" Buffy pressed closer.

The feel of Buffy against her helped only marginally with the frustration. "No. I've tried everything I can think of, Buffy. Every trick, every algorithm. Nothing's working." Clenching her hands over the keypad, Willow wanted to scream.

The screen flashed again, and a series of beeps sounded.

Willow leaned in, watching the sudden activity on the laptop. The algorithm she'd tried disappeared in a wave of pixilation "Buffy," she said intently, "get Giles and Xander."

* * *

Faith chuckled at the question. "Fuck, yeah. More fun." Her nipples ached from Tara's attentions. She gripped the blonde's wrists gently, holding them still. She had to make sure, give Tara one last out.

She never got the chance. "Faith, look at me," Tara insisted.

When Faith met Tara's blue eyes, she saw Tara's choice.

"Feel inside, sweetie. Feel the Slayer. Feel our bond." The words were soft, beguiling. Faith followed Tara's directions, letting the gentle voice pull her awareness toward the pulsing spot where the Slayer purred and stretched. "Look. I'm right there, too."

Faith smiled. No glowing vision of Tara showed up; that didn't mean the other girl wasn't there. A bright blue glow pulsed just behind the Slayer's flaming copper ball. As she watched, the light spread, wrapping around the Slayer and dimming the flaring energy.

_See? I'm right here. _This time, the voice was more feeling than sound.

Blinking, Faith lost hold of the inner vision. Riding a wave of pure emotion, she kissed Tara. There were no questions anymore.

* * *

Stroking Faith's sweat-damp hair, Tara smiled softly. "See, this was lots better than meditating."

"You're crazy, Blondie." Brown eyes peered up at her.

"Then we fit together pretty well, don't we?" Chuckling as the brown eyes rolled and a pair of dimples appeared, Tara levered herself into a seated position, back against the headboard. More seriously, she asked, "Are you good with what we did?"

Tara held her breath as Faith considered that. "I don't know about good, Blondie. I don't like feeling you got the raw end of the deal. I mean… you didn't get the full Faith the Dark Slayer story." Faith's eyes dulled, all the laughter gone.

Reacting instinctively, Tara smacked her shoulder. "Stop that."

"Ow! What the fuck was that for?" Faith's lower lip protruded provocatively.

"For the 'poor, pitiful me' routine. In case you missed it, she's gone." Tara relaxed her militant stance long enough to bend and kiss the spot she'd smacked. "She's not coming back, either, sweetie. I promise."

Faith wasn't ready to give up that quickly. "You can't know that, Tara."

Ah…her full name. Tara went back to stroking Faith's back. "Yes, I can. Remember what I showed you before? Now that we're completely bonded, I can help you control the Slayer."

"Yeah. OK." Faith moved away and climbed out of the bed.

Tara watched her dress, her expression closed off and sullen. Well, she hadn't expected miracles. "Did you want to see if the gang figured out how to kill Adam?" she asked, knowing Faith's commitment to her Calling. They'd finish the other conversation later.

Grimacing, Faith nodded. "Guess we have to go out sometime." Hands deep in her pockets, she spun and stared at the door. "First person that laughs, I'm gonna do a little damage."

"I may not have spent a lot of time with the gang, sweetie, but even I know they won't laugh." Tara got up and dressed, too. "Xander might ask for details or offer to take some pictures, though."


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: A warm welcome to the newest member of the beta crew: KK.

"I don't think you have to worry about anyone laughing," Tara commented, voice trembling with laughter. She scanned the living room and the bodies sprawled on the floor and furniture.

Faith's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Might go deaf from the snores, though. Giles sounds like the fucking train I rode in from Boston."

Grinning, Tara lightly touched Faith's arm. "Let's let sleeping Watchers lie, sweetie." Tara kept her voice light and joking in an attempt to keep Faith calm. "Maybe the rest of the gang is in the kitchen." She felt the muscles under her fingers tauten. Sliding her palm down to Faith's hand, Tara linked their fingers and dragged her reluctant companion across the room.

The moment the kitchen door opened, she knew their timing had been good. Buffy and Willow huddled around Willow's laptop, an audience of only two. "Any luck?" she asked softly. She ignored the way Faith stood as far behind her as their joined hands allowed.

* * *

Willow stifled a scream and spun around. "Tara! How long…are you…?" 

She blushed when Tara grinned crookedly at her staccato speech. "We just got here, Willow, and we're fine." Pulling Faith along like a caboose, Tara moved closer and perched on a bar stool. "Were you able to find anymore information on Adam?"

Staring at Tara's fingers curled around Faith's, Willow shook her head. "Nothing new," she answered faintly. "Did everything...go OK on your end?" Her voice squeaked on the final word. Were they bonded? Willow couldn't quite force herself to ask what they really needed to know.

"You mean, did me and Blondie fuck like you wanted?" Faith's bitter words exploded through the room. "If you want details, Red, you're out of luck. I may be a whore, but I don't kiss and tell."

Before Willow could respond, Tara did. Her head dropped forward in a familiar gesture. "D-don't, Faith. Willow di-didn't m-mean it like that." She peered up at Willow through a waterfall of hair. "Sh-she just n-needed to know if we com-completed the b-bond."

The stutter was worse than Willow had heard in a while. Cursing the whole situation, she leaned against Buffy and held her hands up in surrender. "Yeah, I'm-"

"Shut up, Red," Faith interrupted. She let go of Tara's hand, moving until she stood between them, protectively shielding Tara with her body. "I'll take care of this, T. You just sit back and relax."

Eyes narrowing, Willow watched Faith carefully.

"What do you need to know?" Faith asked, most of the aggression gone from her voice.

Willow gripped Buffy's hands tightly. "Did you complete the bond?"

Faith's lips pressed together, and she took a step forward.

"Did you sleep together?" Willow clarified in a rush.

Behind Faith, Willow saw Tara huddle further in on herself; although, she thought she saw a very thoughtful look on Tara's face before the other girl tilted her head down. "Faith, l-let me han-handle this."

Half turning, Faith glanced at Tara's hunched form. She reached out, gently tucking some hair behind Tara's ear.

Willow did a little turning of her own, shooting Buffy a wide-eyed glance. "Is that Faith?" she asked soundlessly.

Shocked hazel eyes met hers as Buffy shrugged.

"Yeah, Red. We did the deed." Willow spun back around at Faith's soft answer. Faith's arms were wrapped tightly around her stomach. "That's what you wanted, right?" She appeared to be waiting for something.

Leg bouncing nervously, Willow nodded. "Yes. That's," she coughed to clear her tight throat, "that's what we wanted." Her face burned, and she couldn't quite meet Faith's probing brown eyes. "I mean, it's what we needed. We didn't want you and Tara to sleep together. That would be…that's…"

"I get the picture, Red." The bitter edge was back in Faith's voice.

Willow glanced up quickly. Faith was glaring at the floor. Should she apologize? Willow didn't want to set Faith off again, even though she felt bad about pushing Faith and Tara into bed together.

Bad became worse in seconds at Faith's words. "I ain't good enough for T. You don't have to tell me that, Red." Faith raised her head, and Willow's chest ached at the self-loathing expression on her face. "T's a trouper, though. We're all ready to beat Adam now."

* * *

From her position behind Willow, Buffy listened to the exchange. They had to get past this. What they'd done…pimping out Faith and Tara…it had a purpose. Ignoring the nausea crawling through her stomach, Buffy focused on that thought. Whatever it took, they had to beat Adam. "Will found something in the computer," she said, breaking the silent standoff between her girlfriend and Faith. "A secret way in, maybe." 

It wasn't enough. Faith and Willow remained frozen.

"In fact," Buffy continued, slowly climbing out of her chair, "I was on my way to get Giles and the gang. Wasn't I, Will?" She poked a finger into Willow's shoulder.

She relaxed slightly when Willow's head nodded, and her girlfriend said dazedly, "Yes." Then Willow seemed to shake herself. "Yes," she repeated in a louder voice. "I found the entrance to Professor Walsh's secret lab.

Buffy winced when Willow's fingers suddenly dug into her arm.

"Hurry, Buffy. Get Giles. We need to talk about what to do next." The fingers tightened more, steering Buffy through the kitchen to the door.

Taking the not so subtle hint, Buffy stepped through the door and made her way to the couch where Giles lay curled up, clutching a faded pillow. "Hey, Giles," she said softly, reaching over the back to lightly touch his arm.

Giles jerked violently at the contact. Sitting up in one smooth movement, he stared wildly around the room. "What? What?"

His actions woke Xander and Anya. Two groans sounded in concert from the armchair across the room.

"Wake up, guys." Buffy ignored the chorus of yawns and grumbles. "Willow wants us all in the kitchen for a strategy session. She found us a way in." She smiled grimly. "Faith and Tara completed their bond. We're ready as soon as we have a plan."

Giles rolled off the couch, combing a hand through his rumpled hair. "Excellent. Are the girls…" His words trailed off, and he coughed in discomfort.

"Just a hint…to everyone," Buffy said, looking directly at Xander, "don't say anything about how the bond happened. Faith is a little touchy." That was an understatement, but Buffy didn't want to make an issue of an already difficult situation. "Let's just leave it at: the bond is there and move on."

Buffy turned toward the kitchen and stopped after only a step. The back door had just opened and closed.

"Is something wrong, my dear?" Giles moved up beside her.

There weren't any sounds of distress from the kitchen. "I don't think so," Buffy answered slowly. "I think Mom and Graham may have gotten back." Just in case, she grabbed a heavy candlestick from a bookcase on her way to the kitchen door.

* * *

Faith watched Buffy leave the room and then looked at Willow. Their 'moment' was over. Willow was back at the keyboard. Over her shoulder, Faith saw images flowing across the screen. 

"I told you no one would laugh," Tara whispered softly.

Looking down, Faith smiled slightly. "Couldn't resist the 'I told you so,' huh, T?" She hopped up onto the stool next to Tara. "Xander ain't here yet. I still got a chance to be right." Although, she really didn't think he'd be laughing. Fantasizing was more likely.

Tara shook her head. "We're getting ready to plan the attack. He'll be too busy accessing his soldier memories."

"Anya, then?" Faith made one more try.

A blonde eyebrow shot up, and Tara giggled.

The sound had Faith grinning. "OK. You're right. She'll probably want to give us pointers or join in." Leaning her elbows on the counter behind her, Faith waited impatiently for Buffy to come back. She was more than ready to get out of the safe house and go after Adam.

"Anya does have a lot of experience, you know." Tara bumped her shoulder. "If we asked, she and Xander might do a clinic for us."

Faith's head whipped around. "What the fuck?" Tara had been big with the blushing and stuttering a few minutes ago. Now she was talking sex without a hint of embarrassment. "Blondie, you wouldn't-" She broke off as the back door opened.

"Could you ladies give us a hand? I think I bought out the entire store." Joyce disappeared as quickly as she'd arrived.

"Come on, Faith, let's go." Tara took her hand and started for the door.

Buffy nearly knocked her over, barreling through the door, candlestick clutched in her right hand.

Faith pulled Tara closer, gripping her shoulders and keeping her from falling. "Watch what the fuck you're doing, B." Keeping a stabilizing hand on Tara's back, she continued toward the back door. "Your mom's here with food. Put down the candlestick, Colonel Mustard, and do something useful."

* * *

With everyone pitching in, the groceries were out of the car and on the counters in no time. Joyce began unpacking while the rest of the group got down to business. 

"I found the entrance to the lab," Willow told them excitedly. "It's in the caves on the edge of campus." She pressed her finger against the computer screen, tracing a tiny corridor on the schematics. "It's hard to tell from the Initiative blueprints, but…I'm pretty sure this area here is the lab."

Graham disagreed. "I've been there. These are offices, mostly scientists and a few of the lower-level officers." He leaned over her shoulder and pointed. "There's nothing past that point."

"Really?" Willow turned on him, angry at his doubt. "Then explain why you need air ducts and electrical conduits? Do they pump air and electricity to solid rock?"

She waited for him to answer. Seeming confused, Graham looked at the blueprint again. "I…I don't know. Are you sure they don't go somewhere else? One of the labs or offices?"

Buffy gripped Willow's shoulder before she could respond. "If you're right, Willow, we can sneak in through those caves and take Adam by surprise."

Letting Buffy take the lead, Willow listened to her girlfriend start planning. "Graham, will any of the Initiative troops help us out? We may be able to get in; I'd feel better, though, if we could maybe distract Adam with some activity at the other entrances. Have some of your guys try to get in via the elevator and make a big production of moving the rocks at the sewer entrance."

Graham nodded. "I think so. Me and Ry served with some of the unit on a few other assignments. It won't be many, though. Eight…nine at most."

"Go." Willow nearly giggled at the commanding tone Buffy used.

It worked well on Graham. He jumped up immediately.

"I don't want to risk bringing them here, Graham," Buffy continued. "Get them ready and hit the base at nine in the morning."

"In the morning?" Willow tapped Buffy on the shoulder. "During the day? Someone might see."

"Which is why Adam won't be expecting that," Buffy explained. "I want as much of an-"

"I hate to burst your bubble, B," Faith interrupted. "Tomorrow won't work."

Willow beat Buffy to the punch. "Why? Do you have somewhere more important to be?"

She could see the muscles in Faith's jaw flex as the other girl clenched her teeth. "No, Red. I don't." Faith smirked. "If you hadn't been so hot to get me and T into bed, I coulda told you what I found out on my tour of the college."

Faith paused. This time, Willow was the one grinding her teeth. "And just what was it you found out?"

"Nothing much." Willow doubted the truth of Faith's words as her smirk grew. "Just that the Marines are about to blow up those caves you want to use."


	33. Chapter 33

"Blow up?" Willow stared at Faith. "That's a joke, right? Very funny." She forced a tinkling laugh.

No one else joined in.

"Oh, Goddess." Sinking back into her chair, Willow rubbed tired eyes.

"Before we lose ourselves in panic and despair," Giles commented dryly, "perhaps we should let Faith tell the rest of her story." He gestured at Faith. "What, exactly, did Agent Finn tell you?"

* * *

Faith hadn't imagined her moment of glory quite like this. In her head, this moment was more about rushing in to save the day. With swords or stakes. Definitely not explanations. "Uh…" Looking around the room, she realized everyone except Willow was watching her.

"J-just take it sl-slow, sweetie." Tara rubbed a hand over her thigh.

"Right." Slow. Faith sucked in a deep breath and tried to remember the argument between Riley and the older man. "B's boy didn't actually _tell_ me anything. I ran into him when I was on campus. He was having a fight with some grey-haired guy."

Faith was so focused on the memory, she twitched in surprise when Graham asked, "About my height, short hair, nasty temper?"

"Sounds right." Faith looked at him and raised her hands, palm out. "I wasn't really looking."

He grimaced and waved a hand for her to go on.

Her leg started bouncing, and Faith decided she was sparring with Buffy the second this planning session was over. She really needed to beat on something. Buffy would have to do. "Anyway, they got real intense over blowing up the caves. The old guy said they didn't want to leave the equipment or something for the college kids to find."

"That's S.O.P," Graham said.

Now _he_ was the center of attention.

"Standard Operating Procedure." He smiled tightly. "We don't leave expensive and potentially dangerous materials behind. We either evac it, or we destroy it."

"See, now that's the problem." Faith pointed a finger at him. "That got Riley all wound up. He thought the caves might get destroyed with the equipment."

The rustle of Joyce bundling up the empty grocery bags was deafening.

"You were much better when you were in a coma." Anya's irritated voice sliced through the sounds of the plastic. "At least then you could not bring us bad news."

Faith froze. Was she supposed to laugh? Or was Xander's girlfriend serious?

"Better we know now than after we had already made our plans." Faith relaxed when Giles gave her a half-smile of encouragement. "It seems, however, that our tentative strategy needs some work. Suggestions?" He looked at Xander and Graham.

* * *

"We could stick with the current plan, and move up the timetable," Xander replied thoughtfully. "Daylight might have given us the element of surprise, but we might get lucky and hit before Adam's ready for us."

Graham disagreed. "If we move now, rather than later, I can't get to my men. It would just be the nine of us." He scanned the room. "I don't like those odds."

Buffy didn't, either. However, it was a better chance than they usually had when things went wrong. "It doesn't matter," she said slowly. Her mind moved sluggishly, examining all the information. "We have to get Adam." Biting her lip, she added, "And Riley. The demons in the holding cells are for later, if we get a chance."

"Buffy?" Tara peered at her through her hair. "The b-bombs will take care of the de-demons, right?"

"I guess so." Buffy wasn't sure where Tara was headed. She looked at the military experts. "If the caves go boom, won't the demons go, too?"

Xander nodded. "Yep. No need for stakes and blood. Just C4 and an ignition switch."

"Then we stop worrying about the actual base." Tara's voice picked up confidence. "Adam is still keyed into my magic. What if we draw him away from the base – from his Plan? We take him out while Graham and the Marines make sure the demons don't get loose before the explosion."

Before Buffy could really take in Tara's idea, Faith bolted off her stool. She spun, grabbing Tara roughly by the arms. "No! No way!"

Buffy climbed carefully from her chair. The Slayer rumbled a soft warning, alert and ready if Faith lost control.

"You're out of your fucking mind if you think I'm letting you be some kind of bait for the Tin Man." There was an edge to Faith's voice Buffy had never heard before. Not bravado. Not the Slayer needing to be in charge.

Dear God. Faith sounded scared…for Tara.

"Faith," she said softly. "We'd all be there to protect her." Buffy blindly reached out for Willow's hand and gripped it tightly.

"I said no, B." Faith's head snapped around. Her eyes were dark and intense.

Staring hard into those eyes, Buffy couldn't see the Slayer. This was just Faith. For now.

Extending her hand toward Faith, Buffy tried again. "I understand."

Faith's eyes hardened further.

"I _do._ If it was Willow…" she let the words trail off and swallowed hard. "If it was Willow, I'd be trying to find a way to chain her up. Keep her safe."

Faith's head dipped in a short nod. "Then you know we ain't doing it this way."

"If it was Willow," Buffy continued, feeling Willow's fingers squeeze hers, "there wouldn't be a chain strong enough to hold her if she knew she could help."

"B…" Faith pleaded. Buffy could see the fear in her eyes. "We can't…It's _Tara._"

There was no way out of this. Buffy knew it, and she knew Faith understood that, tooe, even if she didn't want it to be true. "I know." The quiet, almost-apology would have to be enough. They were running out of time.

* * *

"Why don't you guys w-work out the details?" Tara asked, looking directly at Buffy. Faith was poised in front of her, tense, on edge, and ready to explode. She needed to make sure that didn't happen. "Faith and I will be in the living room when you're ready."

She could tell Buffy wasn't thrilled with that idea. Her lips pressed together, and Tara sensed the refusal.

"Please." What else could she do? Tara slid from her seat and stepped around Faith. As she did, she took both of Faith's hands, drawing the other girl's arms around her own stomach. "Come on, sweetie. Let's go talk."

They had to maneuver around Buffy's still form on the way to the door, but they made it. The door swung closed behind them.

"It ain't happening, T." Faith yanked away, stalking past her and pacing frantically across the room.

Tara watched her for a few minutes, considering her options. She could try the same technique she'd used in the kitchen. However, Faith's protective streak was working against her this time. She had to get Faith focused on the fight and on her job as a Slayer.

No handling this time, just honesty.

"Yes, it is," Tara responded. "It has to, Faith."

Even expecting a response, she took a small step back when Faith whipped around to glare at her.

Fighting the need to cross her arms protectively and hunch forward, Tara raised her head and glared back. "This isn't about me or you, Faith. This is about killing Evil." She enunciated the last sentence. "You're the Slayer."

"B's the Slayer," Faith denied immediately.

Tara bit back a scream of frustration. "Faith," she forced out as softly as possible, "_a _Slayer or _The _Slayer…it doesn't matter. Your job…Buffy's job, too, is to kill Evil. Right now, that means Adam and whatever else the professor created."

She saw Faith's head nod in agreement. Willing or not, Faith understood her job.

"Using me is the only way to get Adam out into the open." Tara walked forward. "It's dangerous." She took Faith's unresisting hand. "That's why you, Buffy, and Willow will be there with me."

"I still don't like it," Faith mumbled.

Tara raised their joined hands, pressing a soft kiss to Faith's knuckles. "You don't have to like it, sweetie. You just have to do it."

Faith's callused fingers rubbed against hers. "We won't let him hurt you."

Eyebrows rising, Tara peered at Faith in surprise. "Sweetie?" She felt a sudden pull at the rough, near growl in Faith's voice.

The warm copper tinge to Faith's eyes reached out to her, too.

"I…" Faith faltered, appearing confused for a second. Then the frown wrinkling her brow smoothed. "_We_ will keep you safe. We promise."


	34. Chapter 34

The hairs on Tara's arms stood up at the sudden energy in the room. Faith's eyes glowed brightly, and her nostrils flared with each breath. "I know, sweetie. You and Buffy-"

"No!" The word exploded from Faith in a low growl. "_We_ will protect you. The Other…she is for the red witch."

Tara's eyes widened. "The red witch? Do you mean Willow?" Suddenly, the change in Faith made sense. She wasn't talking to Faith. She was talking to the Slayer. Reaching out her hand, she pressed her palm to Faith's cheek and peered into the blazing copper eyes. Tara took a deep breath, heart pounding at the look in Faith's eyes. Warmth trickled through her, and she thought she felt ephemeral lips skim down her throat.

"Can you…" Goddess, it was hard to think. Her fingers sifted through the hair at Faith's temple, the soft strands sliding sensuously over her skin.

Faith moved closer until they pressed together from shoulders to hips. "Mine," the Slayer announced.

The word coincided with a new flare of power in the room. Mind trapped in the sheer _presence_ of the Slayer, Tara only dimly realized the energy emanated from Faith. It wrapped around her like a blanket, soft, warm, and comforting. "Mine," she echoed dazedly. Faith was hers.

Drawn to the Slayer by unseen hands, Tara bent her head and pressed her lips to Faith's. Visible sparks lit the air around them.

* * *

Resting her head in her hands, Willow listened to Xander and Graham argue.

"We can't _do_ that," Graham snapped. "It doesn't make sense to send all of the troops to the caves. What about the girls? You just want to leave them unprotected when Adam comes looking for Tara?"

"They aren't unprotected!" She could almost see Xander's glare. He was angry, voice rising in frustration. "You've worked with Buffy before. You know what she can do. Multiply that by two because Faith will be there, too. Take your men to the caves and make sure we don't get blindsided by demons."

This wasn't getting them anywhere. Opening her eyes a crack, Willow peered at Buffy. The boys would listen to Buffy. She nudged her girlfriend with her knee.

Buffy barely glanced at her before going back to examining her hands where they lay on the tabletop.

Fine. If Buffy was opting out of the General's shoes, she'd step into them. It was time to stop talking and start doing. "Stop it! Both of you!"

Xander and Graham turned to look at her.

"We've heard it all before. We need to make a decision and then find out what Tara has planned for the magical part of the show," Willow continued.

"We can't…" Graham wasn't ready to relinquish command.

Leveling a fully loaded Resolve Face at him, Willow held up her hand, palm out. "Stop!"

He did, eyes wide and shocked.

"Go back to campus. Grab the guys you think you can trust and as many weapons as you can find. We need you at the caves. If the demons get out before the explosion, you'll have to take them out. Whatever happens with Adam," Willow refused to even think about failing, "the demons can't run loose in town."

Xander nodded in agreement. "I've been trying-"

"You and Anya go with him, Xan." Willow didn't give him time to resurrect his argument with Graham.

"Will!" he protested.

Willow transferred her glare to her oldest friend. "You and Anya won't be much help in the Meadow, Xander. You can't help with either the magic or the Slaying." Then she relented, seeing the hurt expression on his face. "Xan, think. Tara and I are going to be busy lobbing energy bombs at Adam and trying to keep the Slayers from getting too out of control. Do you really want to be there if something goes wrong?"

Still not happy, Xander nonetheless shook his head. "No. No, I don't want to face Buffy if she goes all rampage-y." He grinned at Buffy. "It's the one Buffy that _isn't_ in my fantasies."

He yelped when Anya smacked his arm.

"I'll save my smack for after the fight," Buffy promised, finger pointing at Xander. "You have your orders, Graham. General Willow has spoken."

Willow relaxed a little when warm fingers grasped hers under the table.

"Head out and get things set up. If Ry really is the professor's other creation, Adam may already know about the explosives. I don't want them to release the demons in the cells before we get there," Buffy went on.

Her tacit approval of Willow's plan started a flurry of activity. In minutes, Xander, Anya, and Graham were gone.

"OK, Will. Phase One is a go," Buffy grinned and winked. "What do you have for the rest of us?"

Maybe Anya had the right idea. Willow's palm itched to smack her girlfriend's arm. What was up with leaving her in charge?

* * *

Buffy must have sensed the imminent danger. She hopped out of her chair. "While you think up something brilliant, I'll go see if Tara and Faith are finished arguing." Nearly trotting, Buffy moved toward the kitchen door.

Mentally reminding herself not to push Willow too far, Buffy shoved the door open. She took three steps into the living room before the scene in the room actually made sense. "Whoa!"

Tara and Faith were locked in a tight embrace and kissing.

Eyes wide, Buffy simply stared. This hadn't been part of the plan. It was just supposed to be one night. Faith didn't do long term. Buffy looked closer at the couple. Or…maybe she hadn't done long term until now.

Her Slayer rumbled in agreement. Faith had mated. She wouldn't leave Tara under any circumstances.

"Uh, I hate to interrupt…" Buffy said, trying to tear her eyes away from the increasingly intimate display across the room.

Faith and Tara didn't stop. In fact, Faith's hands were sliding under Tara's shirt.

Buffy spun around. She was not watching this. Then she realized this wasn't getting Faith or Tara into the kitchen. Slowly, Buffy turned back to the action. Faith was fast. Tara's shirt was completely unbuttoned and slipping off her shoulders. "Guys!" she called out, using more volume than the last time.

They still weren't stopping.

Desperate to keep Tara's bra in place, Buffy stuck both pinky fingers into her mouth and whistled.

The groping came to an abrupt end as Faith and Tara spun in Buffy's direction.

"Uh…hi!" Buffy waved awkwardly and tried to keep her eyes above shoulder level. "We have a plan. Think you could join us in the kitchen?"

She took a quick step back when Faith growled, "How long you been standing there, B?"

Buffy bared her teeth in a wide smile. "Not long. You know…just came out of the kitchen. I didn't see a thing." She kept her eyes locked on Faith, tensing for an attack. Faith's eyes were copper-toned, only a hint of their normal brown bleeding through.

"You're full of shit, B." Faith took a step in Buffy's direction then stopped when Tara gripped her arm.

"Easy, sweetie," Tara murmured. As Buffy watched, some of the copper faded from Faith's eyes.

Trying not to look relieved by Tara's save, Buffy spread her hands out in a gesture of surrender. "I didn't mean to look, Faith. Really. You were just kinda involved and…well…" Shrugging, Buffy moved on. They'd wasted enough time on this, and she didn't want Willow to come looking for her. "Can we just get everyone dressed and into the kitchen?"

"We'll be right there, Buffy," Tara said softly.

Buffy accepted the quiet dismissal and fled for the safety of the other room.

* * *

Watching her go, Faith started to laugh. "I ain't never seen her blush like that. You think her and Red need lessons?"

She grunted when Tara smacked her in the stomach. "That's not nice." Then Tara giggled. "She did look a little stunned, didn't she?"

"Fuck yeah." Grinning up at Tara, Faith began rebuttoning Tara's shirt. "Sorry if you were embarrassed, Blondie," she mumbled. "I-"

"I'm fine, Faith." Tara stroked Faith's cheek. "Flashing Buffy wasn't really on my mind. You were."

Faith didn't relax. "And the Slayer thing?" She could still feel the Slayer on alert; although, she was back in control.

Tara took her hand and started for the kitchen. "Was I here by myself? I thought the nearly public sex was a dead give away."

Now Faith relaxed. "That? That had nothing to do with the Slayer," she boasted. "That was all me. I been telling the Superfriends since I got here: I got mad skills."


	35. Chapter 35

At least Tara didn't add another bruise. Instead, she merely poked Faith in the stomach. "What?" Faith asked with as much innocence as she could manage. "You tellin' me you don't believe I'm talented?"

A blonde eyebrow tilted up as Tara pushed open the kitchen door. "I have no doubts, sweetie. However, no more sharing with the Scoobies." Her blue eyes burned into Faith. "Understood?"

Unable to stop her grin, Faith nodded. "Got it, T. No free clinics."

"Thank you," Giles dry voice interrupted them. "I am unbelievably relieved at that announcement."

"Don't know what you're missing, Tweed." Still grinning, Faith pulled out a chair for Tara and then dropped into another. "What happened to the rest of your gang, B? You go all Bruiser Buffy again and scare 'em off?"

Buffy glowered. "No," she said shortly.

Faith waited for more.

* * *

Of course, Faith had to push. Tara shook her head and jumped in before Buffy could respond. "Remember, sweetie? Graham was going to get some of his Marine friends to help us out."

Faith's pout was cute. "Yeah. I remember." She couldn't resist trying one more time to get a reaction from Buffy, though. "Bet that made X-man happy, getting the boot from the big fight."

"Xander was upset, Faith." Joyce's soft words stopped the teasing.

Tara glanced up and caught the slight wink Buffy's mother directed at her.

Without a pause, Joyce drove her point home. "He wanted to make sure his family was safe, Faith. You want to do that, don't you? Keep us safe?"

Reaching out, Tara took Faith's hand. The other girl stared at Joyce silently. Tara wondered what she was thinking. "If we're going to keep _Sunnydale_ safe, we need to decide what we're going to do once we reach the Meadow," Tara said quietly.

"What did you have in mind?" Willow sat in a pose similar to hers, gripping Buffy's hand.

"I think we need to make sure Adam comes after me. That means a spell that attacks him directly." Faith's hand twitched in her grasp, and Tara tightened her hold.

Giles picked up the folder of notes on Adam. Flicking it open, he peered at the pages. "Perhaps you might try to drain his power." He turned the folder around and pointed to one of the diagrams. "This seems to indicate a power source of some kind."

"Willow?" Tara knew looking at it wouldn't tell her much. Willow, though, might be able to decipher it for her.

Not releasing Buffy, Willow craned her neck to read the notes. "He may be right." She plucked the folder out of Giles' hand. "It's an outside power source. I can't tell what it's made from, Tara."

That wasn't what she'd hoped to hear. Tara slumped back in her chair. "Or I could go with Plan B."

"We have a Plan B?" Faith asked, kissing Tara's fingers. "I ain't heard a Plan A yet."

A whoop from Willow kept Tara from having to admit she was still trying to come up with a backup plan.

"You got something, Red?" Spinning around, Faith pulled Tara into her lap and rested her chin on Tara's shoulder.

The Slayer's warm embrace settled Tara. Pressing into Faith's arms, she glanced at Willow. "What did you find?"

"The power source." Willow waved the folder wildly. "It's uranium."

This was cause for a celebration? "The stuff they make bombs with?"

"Exactly." Willow beamed and Tara automatically smiled back. "Adam has a uranium core, right where his heart would be." Bouncing in her chair, Willow continued, "Well, if he had a heart. I mean, he doesn't. I don't think."

"So you want T to do what? Blast this core thing? Make Adam blow up?" Faith asked brusquely. Her arms hugged Tara, and her hands caressed Tara's forearms. "Sounds simple enough."

It wasn't, though. Reluctant to shatter the suddenly upbeat mood, Tara cleared her throat. "You're forgetting about Adam's shield and his own magic."

"I…we…" Willow looked around the room, including the rest of the gang, "…we haven't forgotten. We'll just work around it. There has to be a way."

* * *

"What if Faith and I keep him distracted with non-magical attacks?" Buffy finally joined the conversation. "It's kinda hard to block fireballs or whatever if you have two Slayers trying to beat you to death."

Her Slayer rumbled, energy slowly uncoiling inside. Her sight changed, and the room appeared to glow under a copper filter.

When Faith straightened from her slouch behind Tara, Buffy smiled grimly at the change. The Slayers, at least, were in agreement.

"It might work." Buffy nearly growled aloud at Giles' typical response. "However, I would feel better if we knew for certain how to remove the uranium. It can be an unstable substance. It is not in our best interest to replace one threat with another."

"We don't have time for more research, Giles," Buffy told him. Ignoring the energy still pulsing through her, she met his eyes. "The caves are about to explode, and we can't hide from Adam forever. It's time to go on the offensive."

Giles slumped, fingers gripping the bridge of his nose. "You are right. My apologies, Buffy. What would you like me to do?"

"That's up to the witches." Buffy didn't feel qualified to make magical decisions. She preferred hacking and stabbing to spells.

Everyone looked at Tara and Willow.

"I'll get Adam to the Meadow by using the same spell Willow and I did the first night. Since he hasn't been on the news since yesterday, it makes sense that we would be trying to track him." Tara smiled slightly. "He'll want us. We represent a huge power boost if he can drain us."

"He can want," Faith snarled. "He can't have."

Buffy's Slayer howled at that. "No way. He isn't even getting close. You two draw him to the Meadow. Mom and Giles can hit him with crossbows; keep moving, though, Giles. He needs to think there are more of us. That's when Faith and I will go to work"

It sounded too easy.

"How're we going to know when the Tin Man's ready for heart surgery?" Faith had to ask.

Not so easy after all. Buffy looked at Willow. "Will?" She knew her girlfriend would come up with something. She always did.

However, as the seconds ticked by, it appeared Willow didn't have an answer.

Bile burned the back of Buffy's throat. It was like the Master all over again. No real plan, just a grim determination to fight and win. "We'll know, Faith." She met Faith's eyes. "Trust me. We'll know." There had been a look, at the end, in the Master's cold eyes - a sudden realization that he had lost. It would be in Adam's eyes, too.

* * *

No one said much as they piled into Joyce's Jeep for the trip across town. Faith huddled in the back seat, Tara on her lap. This was it. Show time. She'd expected to be on edge, wired with adrenaline and the promise of the hunt. Instead, her hands were clammy with sweat, her stomach cramped, and her muscles felt like Jell-o.

She glanced across at Buffy. Of course, Buffy looked calm, almost peaceful.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Tara's soft voice whispered in Faith's ear.

Faith refused to answer. She wasn't admitting – even to Tara – how scared she suddenly was. Not with Yoda Buffy in the back of the car with them. "Nothing, T. I'm five by five." Rubbing her hands on her pants, she winked at Tara. "Just planning for the post-Slaying sex. Gonna be a lot of the HHs, you know?"

She flinched when Tara blushed and looked down. Damn it. She hated that look.

"HHs?" Tara didn't stutter; however, her voice was even quieter than before.

A laugh masked by a very bad cough sounded.

When Faith looked that way, she saw Buffy trying to hide a smirk. Damned Slayer hearing.

"Uh…How about I explain that after we get rid of the Tin Man?" she mumbled, shifting uncomfortably under Tara. Her nerves were eclipsed by relief at avoiding Tara's question as Giles drove into the deserted parking area of the huge park.


	36. Chapter 36

When the Jeep came to a halt, Faith helped Tara out of the vehicle and watched the group mill around. They were here…and no one had a clue where to start. "Where do you want us, T?" she asked. If Buffy and Willow weren't going to step in, Faith had every confidence Tara could.

Blue eyes flickered up to her and then away. Tara spun in a slow circle, examining the large park. "I'll need to be in the heart of the Meadow to do the spell," she announced slowly.

Maybe she should have waited for Buffy. Faith scowled in the dim lighting of the lot. "No place for us to hide, babe. It'd be like putting a big 'free eats' sign over your head." She joined Tara in peering at the park. "Ain't there a little corner by the picnic area that would work? You know the one, B. It's great for a little groping 'cause it's out of the way and hard to get to."

Buffy cleared her throat, and Faith could just imagine her glancing at Joyce and blushing. "Ah, yeah. It's just down that path on the left, and about a hundred yards past the big picnic shelter."

* * *

As much as Tara wanted to relieve Faith's fears, she couldn't. "I need to use the Meadow, sweetie. We don't have any magical supplies." From the looks she got from the gang, Tara realized that not even Giles understood. "The only way for me to pull in enough power without a formal Circle and the proper incantation is to tap into the ley lines running through the Meadow. If I get too close to the more heavily used places, like the picnic area, the energy will be muddy."

"I can't protect you there." Faith gripped her arm tightly. "You gotta come up with another way."

The grip hurt, but Tara didn't move away. She stared at Faith intently, willing the other girl to stay calm and listen to reason. "Faith, it's the _only_ way."

Faith's hand slid slowly down until their fingers linked.

"Thank you, sweetie." Tara leaned forward and kissed Faith. She could feel the shocked stares from the other four members of the gang. Ignoring the flush heating her cheeks, Tara started for the indicated path. "I'll wait until you tell me everyone is in place before I start the spell."

"What about the Circle? You said we didn't bring supplies. Won't you be vulnerable without one?" Willow inquired softly.

Faith's fingers twitched against Tara's.

Sighing soundlessly at Willow's ignorance of formal magic and Faith's protective nature, Tara responded, "I said I would need the Meadow for more power, Willow. While I can't cast a formal Circle, I can still erect a protective barrier."

"Oh." In the orange glow cast by the path lights, Tara saw Willow chew on her lip until Buffy brushed a finger across the abused flesh. Willow looked better after that.

"While you are preparing, Tara, Joyce and I will take up our positions in the nearest available cover. I believe there are several large stands of trees and shrubbery that will suffice." Giles sounded thoughtful, head bent in concentration. "Buffy, Willow, I think you will be best served if you stay nearest the large playground. It is a bit farther than I am comfortable with; however, I feel certain you will sense Adam in plenty of time to reach the Meadow to assist Tara."

They reached a branching of pathways.

Buffy and Willow drifted toward the one farthest to the left. "Tara…" Willow turned back, green eyes wide and dark. "Be careful." She flew across the short distance and hugged Tara tightly.

"I will." Tara returned the hug. A few tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. "Go on," she urged with a massive sniff. "Faith will make sure nothing happens."

A surly grunt of agreement sounded to Tara's right.

"Go on," Tara said again with more force. She could almost feel Faith's jealousy boring a hole into Willow's head. "I need to get the spell started before we run out of time and the bombs go off."

Arms dropping to her sides, Willow stepped back. Buffy nodded at Tara then took Willow's hand and pulled her down the path.

Giles shuffled his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. "We should be in position in just a few moments. You should be able to start the spell as soon as you reach the clearing." He took a step in their direction and awkwardly stuck out his hand. "Please, my dear, do be careful."

Before Tara could take his hand, Joyce snorted. "Really, Rupert." Sidestepping him, she hugged Tara and kissed her cheek. "After a good night's sleep in my own bed, I'm taking everyone out for breakfast."

* * *

Gripping Willow's slender fingers, Buffy led her down the path to the playground. "She's going to be fine, baby. We won't let Adam get to her, you know." She didn't add that if Adam _did_ get to Tara, they weren't going to be around to care. If Adam got to Tara, he'd gone through _them_ first.

"I hate this." Buffy looked sideways at Willow. The blunt and angry comment seemed out of character for her normally cheerful girlfriend.

"Well, I don't know that any of us really like the constant end of the world threats," she tried to joke. Bumping Willow's shoulder, Buffy teased lightly, "I remember offering you an out a few months ago."

Willow bumped back. "Yeah, what _was_ I thinking?"

Grinning, Buffy kept up the lighthearted exchange as they approached the swings. "Um…I'm going out on a limb here. Maybe you were thinking about how hot I am and how cool it would be to date the Slayer."

Giggles wafted on the cool night air.

"Yep. I was right." Doing a little dance, Buffy swung Willow around in a circle. "I knew it."

"I love you, Buffy Summers," Willow whispered suddenly.

The quiet words rang in Buffy's head. "You…you do?" Spinning so she could stare up into Willow's eyes, Buffy felt the Slayer's low growl pressing at her throat.

Soft lips brushed Buffy's. "I do," Willow reiterated.

The growl burst free as Buffy wrapped Willow in her arms and kissed her fiercely. "I love you, too, Willow," she gasped when they broke apart. Tangling her fingers in Willow's hair, she pulled her head down again.

Just before their lips met again, energy flared wildly from the center of the park.

They jerked apart. "Shit. We forgot Tara," Buffy said with a disbelieving shake of her head. She struggled to regain her focus and concentrate on the coming battle. "Come on, Will. We need to find a spot where we can see the Meadow."

Scrambling through the looming equipment and the heavy underbrush until they had a view of Tara, Buffy and Willow dropped to the ground to wait.

* * *

Faith crouched in a small stand of trees and watched Tara raise her hands to the starlit sky. The words of the spell drifted across the space. Faith didn't understand the words, but the power thrummed through her senses.

Casting her senses out, Faith tried to feel anything in the vicinity. She couldn't. Cursing, Faith wiggled to the edge of her cover. She lay there, tensed and ready to spring to Tara's defense.

Nothing happened.

Tara stopped chanting, and the power build-up stabilized.

It was still difficult for Faith to search for demon activity. She refused to give up. As she strained to scan the park, the Slayer came to her aid. A deep rumble rose up and strength flowed through her. Almost as if the Slayer were holding up a hand to shade her eyes from the sun, Faith felt Tara's power dim in one specific area. It moved as she swept her senses around.

No demons pinged on the radar.

Echoing the Slayer's impatient whine, Faith kept her eyes on a constant circuit around the clearing. Her muscles began to ache from the strain. As she watched, Tara lowered her arms and sagged.

Faith came alert again. Something wasn't right. Opening herself completely to the Slayer, she looked for Adam…for anything. She found nothing.

Tara was on her hands and knees in the clearing.

Wanting to go to Tara, Faith dug her fingers into the grass and mulch under her. Where the fuck was Adam? Had they been wrong?

Something moved at the edge of the clearing.

Heart pounding, Faith's vision changed. The clearing brightened as if she were there in full sunlight. Instead of yellow-tinted illumination, though, her 'day' was tinged in copper. A howl echoed in her head as the Slayer announced the start of the hunt.

It took all of Faith's strength of will to remain in place. Adam wasn't close enough. If she broke cover now, he'd have time to duck back into the trees and disappear. She had to wait.

Each of the hybrid's arrogant and stiff-legged strides enraged the Slayer further.

The sight of his smile shattered the tenuous hold Faith had on her primal instincts. The howl in her head suddenly tore from her throat. She sprang from her hiding place and dashed across the clearing, one word repeating over and over in her mind: _Mine!_


	37. Chapter 37

The Slayer charged past Tara, ignoring Faith's attempts to stop and check on the still-down witch. This wasn't about holding Tara and nursing her back to health. This was about staking a claim and destroying the threat.

With her altered vision, Faith could see the power surrounding Adam. The Slayer noted it as well. The headlong rush slowed. Instinct yielded to strategy. Pausing a few feet in front of Tara, Faith eyed Adam. He was huge, human skin and demon flesh knitted together in a macabre pattern.

There was still no concrete plan when Adam reached Faith's position.

Sparing only a second to worry about the lack of crossbow bolts in the air, her eyes met Adam's. "Think you better stop right there, Tin Man." She tried for confident. As her voice wavered, Faith knew she hadn't even managed her usual bravado.

Adam knew it, too. He smiled, the expression terrifying and cold. "You did not say please. Mother always stressed politeness."

Faith never saw his arm move until his fist was inches from her head. She had just enough time to tense and try to duck.

* * *

Tara slowly regained awareness of the Meadow. If she'd had the time – and the energy – she might have cursed their stupidity. They had grossly underestimated Adam's strength and intelligence. He'd been waiting for them to move. The second she'd sent the Fairies to spy, he'd captured one of the tiny beings and traced its path back to her.

She barely managed to keep him out of her mind. The effort had drained her.

A howl and something streaking past her position caught her attention. Forcing her head up, Tara peered into the dark field. In the starlight, she made out Faith's tiny form confronting the far more massive Adam.

When his hand shot out, Tara didn't even stop to think. Using the last dregs of energy from her personal reservoir, Tara raised her hand and erected a wall of pure energy between Adam and Faith.

* * *

Head turned away from the blow, Faith waited…and waited. Risking a glance at the huge monster, her eyes widened. The air in front of her had thickened and moved. It wrapped around Adam's fist, holding it mere millimeters from her face.

The Slayer danced with glee. Once again, Faith found herself moving without conscious thought. Stepping closer and ducking under the immobile hand, she drove her own fist into Adam's stomach.

A sickening crunch announced the impact.

Adam laughed at Faith's choked cry of pain, and the air around them shifted again. His hand was free. Stepping away from Faith, he held his newly released hand up. A gouge appeared at his wrist – and then the hand bent backward until the knuckles touched his arm.

Frozen by the scene, Faith could only watch as a spike shot out of the gaping maw of Adam's arm.

She only regained her senses when that spike swung in her direction. Throwing herself to the ground, Faith rolled into Adam. He was too massive to go down when she hit his legs. However, Faith didn't let that deter her. From her prone position, she planted her shoulders against the grass and kicked out with both booted feet.

Adam arched into the air, landing several feet away.

Faith was after him instantly.

She was too slow. By the time Faith reached his position, Adam was on his feet and waiting for her. Faith blocked his first punch, rocking from the force. Her right hand was useless from her previous attempts to strike him. She'd learned a valuable lesson. Faith didn't try that again. Instead, she concentrated on blocking and ducking and staying alive until Buffy joined her.

* * *

"Is Tara doing anything?" Buffy whispered to Willow. After the initial power surge, nothing had happened.

The head pressed into her side nodded. "Oh, yeah. She's got the Fairies on their way. I can see their trails from here." Willow sighed. "She's really strong, Buffy. I couldn't do that without a lot of props and a big spell book."

Smiling slightly, Buffy looked down at Willow. "Hmmm, that's something I haven't heard in a while. Old Willow." She leaned on one arm and used her free hand to brush some hair away from Willow's face. "You know, I really liked her." Her finger dropped to Willow's lips. "New Willow is hot, though. I bet if she asked, Tara would show her how to do more than float a pencil."

The lips under her finger twitched into a smile. "Yeah, I know she would. We had already started a little when _someone_ got us all tangled up in a big, secret government conspiracy."

"Rub it in, Will. Rub it in." Buffy dropped back to her original position. "I'm the Slayer. I can take whatever you dish out." She broke off to scan the Meadow. "Damn! I can't sense anything. Tara's magic is blocking my Slayer senses. Can you pick up anything? Adam could be right here, and I wouldn't know."

"Not Adam," Riley's voice announced behind them.

Responding instantly, Buffy pushed Willow deeper into the bushes and fought her way to her feet. "I always knew you were a tool, Ry. I just didn't know that was literal." She stared at him, noticing the blank look in his eyes. This wasn't the gentle, easy-going man she'd dated.

"You don't understand, Buffy. You never did." Riley smiled, the expression chilling. "I volunteered for this mission. Mother made me the first of her new soldiers."

Buffy needed to know just what that meant. She launched herself at Riley with no warning.

She missed, but just barely.

Landing on the ground a few feet behind him, Buffy spun and dropped into a crouch. "Looks like you may be new, but you aren't improved. Adam is way better than you," she taunted.

"Adam was a mistake," Riley snapped. He turned and faced her, hands balled into fists. "Mother never should have created him. She found that out the hard way. He has stopped following her plan, and he will not follow orders."

Was that jealousy in Riley's voice? Buffy hoped so. It might be an edge in the fight.

Sliding to the left a step, Buffy shifted her weight to her right leg and pivoted. Using her momentum, she lashed out at Riley with her left foot.

His head snapped to the side, and he staggered.

Buffy pushed. "Maybe orders aren't important, Ry. I hit Adam with everything I had and he never moved." She opted for complete honesty. "In fact, he kicked my ass. If I remember right, you've never even laid a hand on me."

With a roar of rage, Riley charged.

Dropping to the ground, Buffy swept at his legs. As enraged as Riley was, he still avoided her sweep with a well-timed jump.

"I'll do more than just lay a hand on you this time, Buffy." Riley's eyes were huge, the pupils dilated to tiny pinpricks even in the gloom.

This wasn't going to be a sparring match. Staring intently at Riley, Buffy felt tears burn her eyes. There was no way out of this, no way to talk her ex-boyfriend down. "Then let's get to the 'more,' Ry. I've got other things to do tonight, too."

* * *

Faith staggered, going down to one knee when Adam caught her in the stomach with his still human left arm.

She was losing. She knew it – and so did Adam. There was a feral light in his eyes as he moved in for the kill.

Sucking in gasping breaths, Faith shoved to her feet. This wasn't over yet. No way. She launched herself at Adam, Both feet made solid contact with his chest, and they crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

For a second, Faith believed she'd turned the tide. He was down. She was on top. Her internal celebration lasted only seconds.

Adam twitched beneath her. Nothing happened…

Then Faith felt it. Cold and hard and edged in searing pain, she saw his spike protruding from her stomach. Her scream echoed through the clearing.

* * *

The sound galvanized Tara. Stumbling to her feet, she searched the clearing for some sign of Willow or Buffy. It was too dark. She couldn't penetrate the gloom.

There was no time to keep looking. Faith needed help now. She was down, Adam poised over her.

Disregarding all her mother's teaching on magical safety, Tara 'reached' for the closest ley line. Raw power burned her mental hand and seared her channels. Disregarding the agony, she dove deeper into the pool of power. White-hot energy suffused her. Ignoring the burn, Tara continued to siphon magic from the power source.

The Meadow lit up as she began to glow.


	38. Chapter 38

Responding predictably to Buffy's taunt, Riley charged again. This time, Buffy didn't bother trying to knock him down. Shifting a step to her left, Buffy launched a punch at Riley's solar plexus.

He saw her fist and twisted. His efforts weren't enough.

Buffy's fist slammed into him with the full force of the Slayer behind it.

With a choked cry of pain, Riley doubled over Buffy's arm. It was what Buffy had been waiting for. She brought her bent left knee up as his head came down. His nose seemed to retract into his face and he arched backward before landing hard on the ground.

Turning away from her ex-boyfriend, Buffy searched the underbrush for Willow. The other girl hovered inside the embrace of a large bush. "Will, go find Giles and Mom. I haven't seen any bolts flying around, and Faith probably needs help. I've got this covered."

Willow's eyes widened and her mouth opened just as Buffy heard a soft groan and a footfall behind her.

Without even glancing around, Buffy jumped into the air and rotated her hips. Her right leg went out and around, pulling her left along with increasing speed. The instep of that left foot caught Riley in the jaw a split second before Buffy's right foot landed on the ground.

* * *

Willow waited long enough to see Riley crash to the grass a second time before sprinting across the park. She stayed close to the shrubbery as she ran, listening intently for the sounds of pursuit.

No one and nothing followed. Willow didn't slow down; although, she did turn her head and check out the action in the Meadow. Her footsteps faltered.

Faith and Adam faced off a few yards away from Tara.

Sliding to a halt, Willow watched with rapt attention as Faith knocked Adam to the ground. Maybe Buffy had been wrong. It looked like Slayer power was enough.

Then Adam moved.

Willow couldn't see exactly what he did. She _could_ hear Faith's agonized scream and see her freeze in place, head bent forward. The horrible sound spurred her back to full speed. She'd only reached the halfway point when a disheveled Giles erupted from the bushes to her left.

Now it was her scream that shattered the peaceful and normal night sounds of crickets and rustling leaves.

Giles raised his hands and waved them in a shushing motion. "Dear Lord, Willow, I apologize for scaring you; however, Adam brought along a few of the Initiative's demon population. Joyce and I barely survived the encounter. Can you _please_ refrain from summoning the rest of them here?"

Slapping a hand over her mouth, Willow nodded her head. "Swweee," she mumbled. At Giles' pained sigh, she pulled her hand away. "Sorry," Willow whispered. Heart still pounding, she explained in a quiet rush, "Faith's in trouble. We have to help her."

* * *

Tara had miscalculated. The energy she'd pulled from the ley lines was too great. It overwhelmed her senses and slipped out of control. Squinting against the brilliant outline of power around her, Tara grappled with the magic.

Sudden movement outside the light caught her attention.

Adam raised a booted foot, his intent clear. Faith still sprawled helplessly on the ground below him.

There was no thought. Flicking her hand at Adam, she hurled a hunk of untamed magic at him. It slammed into his shielding, and Tara staggered as the impact rebounded through her. She tried to pull her magic back; she wasn't strong enough to engage Adam directly. The arc of power resisted.

A new rush of power drained from Tara.

The magic battering Adam's shield thinned and flowed around him, coating every inch of his protective barrier. As Tara watched, dazed and disbelieving, the thin layer compressed. Sparks sheered from Adam's shielding and the invisible globe shrank inward.

* * *

Something was happening. The kick she'd been expecting never fell, and her Slayer-controlled vision dissipated under the white light pulsing from Tara's location in the Meadow. Faith fought to ignore the pain centered on the hole left by Adam's arm spike. Pressing one hand to the gaping wound, she rolled onto her right side.

Adam stood next to her, gazing at something Faith couldn't see. She turned her head. Tara stood at the center of the light washing through the park. Whatever the other girl was doing, it had Adam stopped in his tracks. It was time to go back to work and lying on the ground wasn't going to cut it.

Warm liquid seeped out under her hand as she shifted onto her knees. Blood. There was no doubt in Faith's mind. The scent was familiar. Biting her lip against a whimper, she forced herself to her feet. The flow of blood increased, pouring out even as she pressed harder against the wound.

A grunt sounded nearby, and Faith watched Adam sink to a knee. His eyes were wide and a frown wrinkled his forehead.

She still lacked a weapon. Taking a shaky step forward, Faith planted her left foot and spun on her heel. The move tore her right hand from the wound and stretched the puncture. Her muscles spasmed at the new pain. Pushing through the need to drop to the ground and clutch at her stomach, Faith used the momentum of her spin to lash out at Adam with the heavy heel of her combat boot.

Her aim was true. His head snapped to the side, and Faith grinned tightly at the crunch of breaking bones.

Completing the follow-through, she dropped her right leg back to the ground. Her breathing grew ragged, and she swayed. Blood loss, shock, and exertion sapped Faith's energy. Legs leaden, Faith staggered another step forward. She needed a weapon and the only one nearby jutted from Adam's arm.

Unfortunately, whatever had knocked him to his knees wasn't enough to keep him down for long. As she closed in, Adam lashed out with his left hand. Faith blocked the punch but didn't have enough strength to team the maneuver with a return attack. Clumsily ducking under Adam's arm, Faith tried to raise her foot and step on the spike near its base.

The toe of her boot brushed the sharpened bone…and slipped off when her balance failed.

She couldn't do it. She was too tired. Faith met Adam's eyes and saw the truth there. This fight was her last.

Faith's Slayer growled deep inside at that. They weren't giving up, and they _weren't_ going to lose. The growl grew until Faith's entire body trembled with the inner sound. In fact, it was so loud that Faith nearly missed Adam's contemptuous laugh.

"I am disappointed. You said you were a Slayer and there is a witch with you. How is it you still are no match for me? Mother had hoped adding the Slayer essence to my brother would improve his performance," his deep voiced droned. "If this is all that you can accomplish, my brother is doomed to remain weak and helpless."

Riding the wave of energy coming from the Slayer, Faith stood slowly erect. Her stomach protested, but the pain seemed dulled. "I don't think even sucking the super powers outta me and B would help Soldier Boy. B was so unimpressed, she started sleeping with Willow."

Adam didn't seem to understand her reference. He frowned, tilting his head to one side. "If you cannot help, there is no reason to keep you alive. I will have to find another way to complete Mother's plan." With a single, powerful move, he regained his feet and looked over Faith's head. "The witch is very strong. Perhaps Mother was wrong to believe that magic was not enough."

The Meadow, Tara, the light…They all disappeared. Faith's world narrowed to Adam. There was no way he was touching Tara. Like a switch completing an internal circuit, Faith and the Slayer became a single entity. Faith could see and feel and think while her body rippled with the primal energies normally caged inside. "You want to get to T, you're gonna have to go through me," she announced in a harsh voice.

With a freakish twist to his lips, Adam smiled. "That will not take much time."

* * *

"It might take a few more minutes than you think," Buffy's voice announced from Faith's right. "See, everyone makes the same mistake, expecting there to only be one of us."

Faith never took her eyes off Adam, but she grinned at the mocking edge to Buffy's voice.

Buffy came closer until she stood at Faith's right shoulder. "There was a mistake at the factory. Someone forgot to turn off the machine." Buffy's hand touched Faith's arm. "There are two Slayers. We like to call ourselves the Chosen Two."

The news seemed too much for Adam to take in. He stared at them, face blank and head still cocked to one side.

"Tin Man's rusted, B. Let's take him apart before he finds the oil can." Using the Slayer's strength and speed, Faith leapt into the air and used both feet to smash into Adam's chest.

He fell to the ground. However, the attack snapped him out of his internal musings. Before Faith had even landed, Adam's left arm came up. The human hand popped open. No spike emerged this time. Instead, a cylindrical metal shaft extended.

"Gun!" Buffy shouted.

Altering the course of her landing in response, Faith twisted mid air. The wound in her side protested until Adam's new equipment began to rotate like the cylinder on a Gatling gun and bullets sprayed the air. The pain melted away under the wash of pure adrenaline. She hit the ground in a tight tuck, rolling toward Adam. Dimly, Faith realized the rain of bullets tearing into the grass followed her progress.

* * *

Bullets? He was using bullets? Buffy whipped the energy gun she'd taken from Riley out of her belt and returned fire. Sizzling blue light shot from the barrel, hitting Adam in the chest.

She'd forgotten the energy wasn't a deterrent for him.

His head turned in her direction and the barrel of his arm followed.

Diving to the right, Buffy felt the heat from the metal slugs as they narrowly missed. She scrambled to her feet and turned, anxiously trying to anticipate the next round of fire.

The gunfire came to an abrupt halt, however. Adam bent over the foot Faith had planted firmly and painfully between his legs.

Buffy took advantage of his vulnerability. Two quick steps later, she grabbed his right forearm and pivoted. Her hip pressed into Adam's thigh and her momentum did the rest. Adam whipped around from the force of her throw and landed on his back.

As if they'd choreographed the fight, Faith was there waiting. Snatching Adam's arm from Buffy's grasp, she threw it on the grass and stepped on his wrist. One sharp snap later, Faith held a majority of the spike once attached to Adam's arm.

With a roar of pain and rage, Adam flailed the pinned arm. Faith staggered back.

Buffy moved away as well, dropping into a defensive stance. "Any ideas how to end this?" she called to Faith. Adam was back on his feet and a sharp click announced he'd reloaded his gun.

* * *

Willow heard Giles' and Joyce's harsh breathing behind her as they ran for the Meadow. Even after the gunfire, their progress felt like something from a nightmare. No matter how much she strained and fought to go faster, Willow wasn't sure they were getting closer to the four figures in the clearing.

"Stop!" Giles called out.

Ignoring him, Willow continued to run. If she stopped, she couldn't help Buffy. Her breathing rasped so loudly in her ears Willow almost missed the metallic whir just before a bolt flew past.

The wooden shaft struck Adam in the shoulder as he pointed his arm at Buffy and Faith. It didn't faze him. Without even a glance in their direction, the bore of his arm shifted until it pointed directly at Buffy.

The speed Willow hadn't been able to find suddenly reappeared. Her feet flew over the damp grass. It wasn't going to be enough, though. Willow gave up on running. Sliding and stumbling to a halt, she mumbled the words to a spell – the only spell she'd ever managed to get right on her own.

* * *

"If I'da had an idea, we wouldn't be standing here waiting to get our asses kicked, B," Faith replied automatically. The gun leveled at her chest held her attention. As it swung away, she traced its path.

It stopped at Buffy.

Muscles trembling with fatigue, Faith readied herself for one last leap. Her grip on the spike tightened. She bent her knees and took a deep breath.

* * *

Out of the corner of her eye, Buffy watched Faith explode off the ground and Adam react. The muzzle of his weapon slashed through the air as he turned toward the body hurtling in his direction.

There wasn't enough time to intervene. In horror, Buffy could only wait for bullets to rip into Faith.

* * *

Tara's power was failing. The bright light washing over the field flickered as the wild energy burned away. When Faith took that desperate leap, Tara struggled to shore up enough magic for one last blast. If they hit Adam together, maybe they could take him out.

The power was there. She could see it shining within the banks of the ley line.

Her blistered and damaged mental hands couldn't grasp it. Not this time. Too tired and despairing to even cry out, Tara could only watch as Faith flew closer to Adam, the weapon in her hand extended.

* * *

The words of the spell tumbled out of Willow's mouth in a crazed rush. There was an instant of total stillness. She felt nothing for that moment. Then an invisible pump drew energy from her magical stores. The flow was faster than anything Willow had felt before.

She didn't understand…until she saw Faith leap at Adam with the bone shaft in her hand.

"Frilly heck," Willow mumbled.

Faith felt a rock stabbing into the ball of her foot as she pressed into the ground and jumped. She was so tired. Even with the Slayer in control of her body, Faith was amazed she managed the leap.

Her eyes flew wide when her momentum continued to grow mid-air…and grow…and grow.

The impact of the spike piercing Adam's chest numbed her fingers, hand, wrist…Then Faith slammed full force into him.

He collapsed under her.

Painfully peeling her hand from the weapon, Faith flopped to the ground and prepared for Adam's counter attack. She raised trembling arms up and waited.

Adam didn't move.

Faith stiffened, tucking her elbows into her sides to keep her arms raised.

Adam didn't move.

Dropping her hands to the grass, Faith crawled toward Adam. On hands and knees, she peered into his lifeless eyes. "Hey, B. Look. The Tin Man's dead."

She collapsed on the grass seconds before the world went black.

* * *

"Whatcha thinking, Buffy?" Willow's voice blended into the music surrounding them.

Glancing up into bright green eyes, Buffy smiled slowly. "Not really doing much thinking, Will. I'm all about feelings tonight." She reached up and brushed her lips over Willow's. "See? That feels good. Besides," she tacked on, "you do enough thinking for both of us."

Narrow fingers pinched her side. "Your mother's watching us. There will be no kissing until the old people decide to go home and leave the Bronze to us," Willow informed her decisively.

"I'm not sure you can say that. You were the one groping me in the safe house with the whole gang there to watch." Buffy did, however, put a little distance between them as they danced. A quick glance across the club made her growl.

"Do I need to separate you and the Slayer again?" This time, Willow initiated the kiss. "What has you all wound up and grrr now? Demons? Vamps?"

Buffy growled again. "No. Moms and Watchers holding hands." Here eyes widened and she came to a complete halt on the dance floor. "They're _dancing_ now."

Willow giggled and dragged Buffy back into motion. "At least there aren't any police cars in here."

"Ah!" Giving a dramatic shudder, Buffy closed her eyes and leaned her head on Willow's shoulder. "No more. Please. I so don't need those images in my head." A husky laugh cut through the sound of the band, distracting her for a second. "Although," Buffy looked toward the laugh and saw Faith and Tara dancing nearby, "we may have police_men_ here soon. Are you sure the cops won't be coming for her?"

Sharp teeth nipped her earlobe, and Buffy shuddered as Willow said, "Not a chance. The Council took care of that. After Giles made a few very polite threats, of course." Willow turned her head to watch the other couple for a second. "She and Tara seem to be doing fine, too. Looks like it's Slayers and witches all around."

The slow song faded and was replaced by a pounding beat and strobing lights.

"Let's sit this one out, Will." Buffy pulled Willow off the dance floor. She bypassed the regular Scooby table, instead taking the stairs to the second level and the tables hidden in deep shadows. "I thought you might like it up here better." Sliding into a booth, Buffy waved her hand. "See? No Mom."

"Why would that be important, Buffy?" Willow was backlit by the flashing lights below, but Buffy was sure she was smiling.

Holding out her hand, Buffy started her explanation. "You said no kissing if we had parental eyes on us. There are no eyes, Will, I want my kisses."

"You are so demanding. I think you and the Slayer need a Time Out." Willow was definitely grinning as she remained standing at the end of the table. "Self control is important, Buffy. I mean, we can't make love all the time."

With a growl, Buffy let the Slayer come closer to the surface and sat up in the booth. "Don't make me come get you," she warned softly.

Willow took a small step in her direction – and Buffy's senses twinged.

She was out of the booth immediately. The poor lighting and the crowd made it hard to pinpoint the danger.

"Buffy?" a familiar voice said from her left.

Nausea threatened. No way. "Hello, Oz." Buffy turned her head and met his eyes. "What are you doing here?" If he said to marry Willow… She pushed the memory of her dream away with Herculean effort.

"I came to talk to Willow." It wasn't exactly like the dream, but Buffy didn't relax. Oz peered over her shoulder. "Hey, Will. Long time no see."

"Oz. Hi." Willow suddenly pressed against Buffy's back, and her arms wrapped around Buffy's waist. "When did you get back?"

The conversation, the music, the Bronze – it all swirled around Buffy. It was the dream. Oz was back and he wanted Willow. The Slayer snarled and strained against her attempts at control. Reaching down, Buffy disengaged Willow's hands and arms. She had to leave. Now. Before the Slayer took over. If she stayed, Oz wouldn't survive – even if he went all wolf-y. "Hey, you guys catch up. I'll see how Mom and Giles are doing."

Fleeing the upper floor, Buffy charged down the stairs, uncaring of the people dodging out of her way. The Slayer fought her every step. Willow was _theirs_. How could Buffy leave her alone with Oz?

Buffy skidded to a halt. Willow was hers. She ignored the Slayer's near pout at being left out. Oz had abandoned Willow. He'd cheated on her and broken her heart. He didn't have the right to come back and try to take Willow away from her. Spinning on her heel, Buffy retraced her steps.

Willow and Oz were right where she'd left them…except Oz had his hand on Willow's arm.

The Slayer wasn't going to be ignored or caged this time. Buffy grabbed the back of his shirt and picked him up off the ground.

"Buffy!" Willow cried out.

People scrambled from nearby tables. They ran just in time. Buffy flung Oz into a deserted booth and then followed. Pinning him to the wall, she leaned in close. "Willow is mine. You don't touch her…ever…again."

Oz's eyes widened and for a split second, Buffy saw something flare deep inside them. Her Slayer senses spiked.

Then a hand dropped on her shoulder. "Oh, look. Butch Buffy is back. Are you on drugs again?" Willow demanded.

Amazingly, Oz laughed and the pressure on Buffy's senses disappeared.

"Will, I'm kinda busy here. Do you mind?" Buffy glared at Oz, but the moment was broken. "Or…I was." Mumbling under her breath, she hopped out of the booth and faced Willow.

Resolve Face stared back at her.

Buffy tried a smile. Then a pout.

Resolve Face stared back at her.

Heaving a huge sigh, Buffy turned to Oz, still sprawled in the booth. "Sorry, Oz." She stuck out her hand. "I promise not to rip your arms off." Rebellion rose. "As long as you don't touch Willow."

"That's a safe bet," Oz assured her with his trademark almost-smile. "I'll be touch-free from now on." He took her hand, and Buffy pulled him to his feet. "Look. You two need to talk. Will only gets like that when she's really upset. I'll be downstairs."

Bracing for the worst, Buffy turned around one more time. Yep. Still there. "I…uh…" Her voice faltered when Willow didn't show even an ounce of forgiveness. Buffy rocked on her heels as she thought about how to explain.

Her eyes swept the club and took in the familiar sights and sounds. It had all started here. Buffy's lips twitched as she remembered Willow and her box of raisins the first night they'd met here. "I love you, Willow." She'd said the words before. Now, though, Buffy realized she'd always been holding back. She'd been afraid – of her feelings, of Willow's reaction, of a million things.

Not anymore. Ignoring the still-present Resolve Face, Buffy smiled. All this time…She'd just needed a little pharmaceutical aid, a fight with a monster, and an almost-fight with Oz at the Bronze to be ready.

Stepping closer to her scowling girlfriend she whispered, "Is the Time Out over, Will? The Slayer and I want to show you what we learned tonight."

"Oooh!" Willow giggled, her Resolve Face finally disappearing. "Does it involve colored pens and sticky notes? I have some of those in my bag." She bounced out of Buffy's grasp. "Come on." Her light voice reached out and wrapped around Buffy. "Take me home, Professor Buffy."

THE END


End file.
